Vice President Election 2025: Radhakrishnan expected to secure easy win as opposition unites behind Reddy
Hyderabad: The race for India’s second-highest constitutional office will be decided on Tuesday as MPs cast their votes in the Vice President Election 2025. The contest is between CP Radhakrishnan, the NDA’s choice, and Justice B. Sudarshan Reddy, nominated by the opposition INDIA bloc. While the opposition is framing the election as a show of unity, the numbers strongly favour the NDA, making Radhakrishnan the clear frontrunner.
Both sides spent Monday in preparation. The BJP held a workshop for its MPs, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to review procedures and voting rules. Across the aisle, the INDIA bloc met in the Central Hall of Parliament. Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sharad Pawar, and Akhilesh Yadav joined opposition MPs for a strategy session that included a mock ballot.
Numbers and alliances decide the tone of the contest
The electoral college for the Vice President consists of 781 MPs, as seven seats are vacant. The NDA controls 422 MPs across both Houses, and with the support of the YSR Congress Party’s 11 MPs, its tally rises to 433.
The opposition INDIA bloc controls 324 MPs in total. Despite support from the Aam Aadmi Party, its numbers remain short of the halfway mark. AAP itself faces internal uncertainty, with questions over whether all its nine MPs will back the INDIA bloc candidate.
The balance shifted further after Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) announced they would abstain. Their combined 11 MPs will not participate, narrowing the INDIA bloc’s base of support. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), with one MP, has kept its vote confidential, though political analysts suggest it may quietly lean towards the NDA.
Candidates and political significance
CP Radhakrishnan, a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, represents decades of party work. His nomination signals the NDA’s intention to reward loyalty and strengthen its footprint in southern India.
Justice Sudarshan Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge from Telangana, was chosen to underline the INDIA bloc’s emphasis on southern representation and judicial credibility. Yet, with limited numbers, his candidacy serves more as a message of opposition unity than a realistic bid for victory.
The Vice President serves as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and plays a crucial role in ensuring order in the Upper House. Given frequent disruptions in Parliament, the position has grown in importance in recent years. Whoever wins will shape the conduct of debates and the legislative process.
Historically, ruling alliances have had the advantage in Vice Presidential elections. Venkaiah Naidu in 2017 and Jagdeep Dhankhar in 2022 both won comfortably as NDA-backed candidates. The 2025 contest appears to follow the same trajectory.
For the NDA, a strong victory will highlight its continuing dominance in Parliament as it looks ahead to the 2029 general elections. For the INDIA bloc, standing together behind Reddy is less about winning and more about demonstrating collective resolve.
