Opposition expects Vice President Radhakrishnan to uphold democratic traditions

Leaders of Opposition parties congratulated CP Radhakrishnan on being elected Vice President of India, with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge expressing hope that “he will uphold the highest ethos of parliamentary traditions, ensuring equal space for the Opposition.”

“Best wishes to Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the Vice Presidential election. We extend our sincere gratitude to Shri B. Sudershan Reddy Garu, the united Opposition’s joint candidate, for his spirited and principled fight,” Kharge posted on X.

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He said the contest was more than an election, calling it a battle of ideology that reaffirmed the need to check authoritarian tendencies to protect the Constitution and democracy.

“We hope the new Vice President-elect will not succumb to the pressures of the ruling dispensation. The Vice President, the second-highest constitutional office, must reflect independence, fairness, and strength in safeguarding democratic values. We must also remember why this election was necessitated—Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned suddenly on the very day he chaired the opening of the Monsoon Session, an exit still unexplained and unceremonious. As we move forward, transparency, accountability, and respect for constitutional positions must guide our institutions,” Kharge added.

Reacting to the results, Congress MP Tariq Anwar said, “The numbers were with them, but we had expected some would listen to their conscience and vote for our candidate. The expectations we had from the South were also not fulfilled. We welcome the result that has come.”

Opposition candidate B. Sudershan Reddy humbly accepted the outcome, telling the media, “I accept this verdict, but the ideological battle continues,” while extending his best wishes to Radhakrishnan.

RJD MP Sudhakar Singh alleged misuse of state institutions. “The NDA may think they have won, but the numbers themselves show large-scale misuse of state power. This is not the NDA’s victory; it is the victory of the ED, CBI, and Income Tax, which pressured MPs to vote in their favour,” he claimed.

CPI(M) leader M.A. Baby described the election as “a limited success” for the Opposition. “Even before polling, the NDA had the upper hand. But we succeeded in demonstrating Opposition unity and in flagging key issues related to constitutional values and secular, democratic traditions,” he said.

Congress MP Sukhdeo Bhagat extended best wishes to Radhakrishnan, hoping he would work “in accordance with parliamentary dignity” and ensure that “situations like those witnessed during Dhankhar ji’s tenure do not arise again.”

Congress leader Rajesh Thakur too congratulated Radhakrishnan but alleged “cross-voting in favour of the NDA shows that the BJP is not only involved in ‘vote theft’ but also in ‘vote robbery’.”

Meanwhile, jailed Baramulla MP Engineer Rashid was granted special court permission to cast his vote.

Announcing the results, Rajya Sabha Secretary-General PC Mody said Radhakrishnan secured 452 first-preference votes, defeating Opposition nominee and former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, who received 300.

The election was necessitated by the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, citing health reasons. His term was originally due to last till July 2027