RSS Swayamsevak To Vice President: Meet CP Radhakrishnan, India’s 15th V-P

India elected Chandrapuram Ponnusamy (CP) Radhakrishnan as its 15th Vice President on Tuesday.

The NDA nominee and current Maharashtra Governor succeeded Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned on July 21, citing health concerns. With his election, Radhakrishnan became the third leader from Tamil Nadu to hold the post and the first OBC leader from southern India to be elected Vice President.

Born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration before joining student politics.

A keen sportsman, he excelled in table tennis, long-distance running, cricket, and volleyball, according to PTI.

He belongs to the Kongu Vellalar Gounder community, which holds significant social and economic influence in Tamil Nadu.

Political Life of CP Radhakrishnan

Radhakrishnan began his political journey at the age of 16 as an RSS swayamsevak. By 1974, he had joined the state executive committee of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the BJP’s predecessor. His steady rise through the organisation built the foundation for his later prominence in the BJP.

After formally joining the BJP, Radhakrishnan gained recognition as a strong organiser. In 1996, he became the state BJP secretary and later served as the state president from 2003 to 2006.

During his tenure, he undertook a 93-day, 19,000-kilometre Rath Yatra, championing causes such as river-linking projects, a uniform civil code, eradication of terrorism, measures against untouchability, and efforts to curb narcotics, PTI reported.

Radhakrishnan entered national politics as the Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore during Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s premiership and went on to serve a second term. In 1998, he almost joined the Union Cabinet, but a mix-up in names saw the berth go to another BJP leader, Pon Radhakrishnan, PTI reported.

Despite the setback, he earned respect as a soft-spoken parliamentarian with a clean record and incisive interventions. His non-confrontational style won admiration across party lines, with colleagues dubbing him the ‘Vajpayee of Coimbatore’, as reported by Hindustan Times.

The BJP-led government later appointed him as Governor of Jharkhand, where he served for over a year.

He also held additional charges as the Governor of Telangana and Puducherry. On July 31, 2024, officials swore him in as Governor of Maharashtra, and he held the position until the NDA nominated him as its Vice Presidential candidate.

Role Ahead as Vice President

As Vice President, Radhakrishnan will also serve as the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.

Congratulating him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. I am confident that he will be an outstanding VP, who will strengthen our Constitutional values and enhance Parliamentary discourse.”

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