New Delhi: Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan was sworn in as the 15th Vice-President of India at a ceremony held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday morning. President Droupadi Murmu administered the oath of office at 10:10 am in English.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former vice-presidents Jagdeep Dhankhar and M. Venkaiah Naidu, former president Ram Nath Kovind, and senior Union ministers Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, and Nitin Gadkari, among other dignitaries.
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A 67-year-old veteran leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from Tamil Nadu with close ties to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Radhakrishnan won the vice-presidential election decisively. He secured 452 votes against Opposition INDIA bloc candidate, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, who polled 300 votes.
His victory was expected, backed by the numerical strength of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), which commands 427 MPs, along with support from the YSR Congress Party and smaller allies. Reports also pointed to cross-voting in his favour, further widening the margin beyond the required halfway mark of 377.
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The election followed the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21 due to health concerns. Ahead of assuming office, Radhakrishnan resigned as Governor of Maharashtra on Thursday. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat has been given additional charge of Maharashtra until a replacement is appointed.
A two-time MP from Coimbatore and former BJP Tamil Nadu chief, Radhakrishnan began his political journey with the Jana Sangh before rising through the BJP ranks over several decades.
