CP Radhakrishnan Elected Vice President, Cross-Voting Allegations Shake Opposition Bloc

National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee CP Radhakrishnan has been elected as the 15th Vice President of India, defeating the opposition-backed candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy (retired) in a contest that has once again exposed cracks within the opposition’s INDIA bloc.

The election, held on September 9, witnessed a high turnout of 767 MPs out of 781 eligible voters, a participation rate of over 98%. Of these, 752 votes were deemed valid, while 15 were rejected due to errors or invalid markings. When the results were announced, Radhakrishnan had secured 452 votes, while Reddy managed only 300, giving the NDA candidate a decisive 152-vote margin.

The outcome has sparked immediate controversy, with the opposition alleging significant cross-voting within its ranks. The INDIA bloc had claimed the support of at least 315 MPs, but their candidate fell short by 15 votes, suggesting that either members switched sides or deliberately cast invalid ballots. Leaders within the BJP have been quick to seize on this, claiming that at least 14 INDIA MPs crossed over and some others spoiled their ballots as a form of silent protest.

Opposition figures, however, attempted to put a positive spin on the results. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh described the bloc’s performance as a “moral victory,” noting that its vote share had grown substantially compared to the 2022 vice-presidential election. Still, the shortfall highlighted growing doubts about the bloc’s ability to maintain unity in the face of NDA’s organizational strength.

In his first remarks after the victory, Radhakrishnan hailed the result as proof that the NDA’s “nationalistic ideology” resonated even across party lines. He pledged to perform his constitutional role with fairness while stressing the importance of cooperative federalism, urging stronger ties between the Centre and states to strengthen India’s democracy.

Radhakrishnan, a veteran BJP leader with roots in the RSS and previous experience as governor of Jharkhand and Maharashtra, will now serve as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. His victory consolidates the NDA’s hold over the top constitutional posts, following the re-election of President Droupadi Murmu.

The election result has therefore delivered not just a numerical win for the NDA but also a symbolic blow to the INDIA bloc, which now faces urgent questions about its internal discipline and ability to challenge the government in upcoming state and national elections.