Grassroots BJP Leader From Tamil Nadu: Who Is NDA Vice-President Candidate CP Radhakrishnan?
A strong south Indian face for the BJP with a long RSS association, Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan is a former Tamil Nadu unit chief and is seen as a Modi-Shah confidant
Billed as a strong South Indian face for the BJP, Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan – the NDA's vice-presidential candidate – is known to have a long association with the RSS.
Radhakrishnan, who is a former Tamil Nadu BJP president, was nominated by his party's parliamentary board on Sunday.
He is seen as a confidant of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Having a clean image and a strong grassroots connect only further his case as the BJP continues its dogged pursuit of gaining ground deeper south, particularly over Tamil Nadu and Kerala, which are scheduled to go polls next year.
Announcing the nomination, BJP president JP Nadda said the decision was made at a meeting chaired by Modi after an extensive deliberation. He said Radhakrishnan is considered a statesman and commands respect in all sections of society in Tamil Nadu.
The vice-presidential election, necessitated by the resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar last month, is scheduled for September 9. The last date for filing nomination is August 22.
Radhakrishnan has a bachelor's degree in business administration and started as an RSS swayamsevak, following which he became a state executive committee member of the Bharatiya Janasangh in 1974.
He is a two-time MP from Coimbatore (1998 and 1999) and won with massive vote margins. During his stint as the Tamil Nadu BJP president from 2004 to 2007, he undertook a 93-day statewide yatra. He was also incharge of the Kerala BJP unit from 2020 to 2022) as a member of BJP national executive.
When it comes to governance, he became the governor of Maharashtra in July 2024. Before that, he was the governor of Jharkhand in 2023. He also held additional charge of Telangana and Puducherry.
Radhakrishnan was among the first MPs to visit Taiwan in 2014 and also addressed the United Nations General Assembly in 2003. He was the chairman of the Coir Board from 2016 to 2020, helping boost India's coir exports.
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