The stage is set for a crucial election of the Vice President on Tuesday, September 9, with both the NDA’s candidate, C P Radhakrishnan, and the Opposition’s, B Sudershan Reddy, intensifying their campaigning efforts.
Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra and a BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, is pitted against Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge from Telangana, in a contest that has taken an ideological tone.
The opposition has described the vice-presidential poll as an “ideological battle,” with DMK MP Kanimozhi stating, “This is an ideological fight. So the Opposition parties came together to select one candidate against the candidate who comes from an RSS background.” The opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, DMK, the Left parties, the Trinamool Congress, and the Aam Aadmi Party, have rallied behind Reddy’s candidature.
The election has also taken on a regional flavour, with the NDA’s candidate hailing from Tamil Nadu and the opposition’s candidate from Telangana. This “South vs South” contest has added an interesting dynamic to the election, particularly given the DMK’s alliance with the Congress. The DMK’s support for Reddy could be seen as a way to maintain its anti-BJP stance, while backing Radhakrishnan could be perceived as disregarding Tamil pride.
The NDA’s decision to field Radhakrishnan as its vice-presidential candidate is also seen as an attempt by the NDA to put the DMK in a spot, as rejecting a candidate from Tamil Nadu could be portrayed as disregarding Tamil pride—an issue rivals are expected to highlight in the 2026 campaign. However, extending support to the BJP’s nominee would go against the DMK’s long-standing political positioning against the Centre.
However, the opposition has countered with its own strategy by fielding an eminent Telugu face, making it difficult for parties in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana—the YSRCP and the BRS—to not back Reddy.
The vice presidential election was necessitated due to the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, who stepped down on July 21, citing health reasons. The person elected will serve a full five-year term from the date of assuming office, making this election a crucial one in determining the country’s second-highest constitutional authority.
The campaign has been marred by allegations and counter-allegations between the rival groups. During the campaign trail, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Sudershan Reddy of supporting Naxalism by passing a judgment that ended the practice of appointing Special Police Officers to fight the Maoists in Chhattisgarh. A group of 18 former Supreme Court judges later wrote to Home Minister Shah, objecting to his remarks against Sudershan Reddy over the Salwa Judum judgment.
The Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising elected members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. The total strength of the Electoral College is 782, with the BJP-led NDA having a comfortable edge with 422 members supporting them. A candidate requires at least 391 votes to win. While Radhakrishnan’s win seems likely given the NDA’s numerical advantage, the opposition’s united stance makes this contest worth watching.
With just a day left for the election, both the ruling BJP-led NDA and the Congress-led opposition have intensified efforts to boost their numbers. The BJP has asked all its MPs to reach Delhi ahead of the election and has begun training them on how to cast their votes correctly. The opposition is also holding a “mock poll” to ensure their MPs are prepared for the election.
The outcome of this election will determine the next Vice President of India, who will serve a full five-year term. The election is set to be a closely watched contest, with both sides vying for support from the Electoral College members.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena parliamentary group leader Shrikant Shinde held a meeting with party MPs today to ensure maximum votes for NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan. All Shiv Sena MPs have been asked to be present in Delhi for the election tomorrow.
Both the Opposition and Union Minister SP Singh Baghel have suggested conducting mock drills to familiarise first-time MPs with the voting process. The Opposition held a mock poll in the Central Hall of the Samvidhan Sadan today, while Baghel recommended it to minimise invalid ballots.
Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy has appealed to MPs to vote in favour of the country, not their party.
Moreover, Biju Janata Dal has decided to abstain from voting, citing equidistance from both the NDA and the INDIA bloc. Party leader Sasmit Patnaik stated that their priority is the development and welfare of Odisha.
Bharatiya Rashtra Samithi has also announced its decision to abstain from the Vice-Presidential election. Also, YSR Congress Party has announced its support for NDA candidate C P Radhakrishnan.
The election will take place tomorrow, September 9, from 10 am to 5 pm, with counting scheduled at 6 pm.