India will welcome a new Vice President by tonight, September 9. The contest is between the BJP-led alliance’s nominee, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, and the INDIA bloc’s candidate, retired Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy.
Voting Process and Timelines
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote when polling began at 10 am. MPs can vote till 5 pm. The counting of votes will start at 6 pm, and the result will be announced by nightfall.
Voted in the 2025 Vice President election. pic.twitter.com/soCoJJmHSI
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2025
The election follows a simple process. All Members of Parliament, elected or nominated, can cast their vote. They use a secret ballot, which means MPs are free to vote as they wish, without following party lines.
Confidence From Both Candidates
Justice B. Sudershan Reddy sounded hopeful. He said, “I am trying to awaken people’s conscience. I am very confident. We are going to win.”
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CP Radhakrishnan also expressed certainty of victory. He said, “It is going to be a victory of Indian nationalism. We are all one, we will be one, and we want India to become Viksit Bharat.”
BJP Strategy to Secure Votes
The BJP is leaving nothing to chance. In 2022, Jagdeep Dhankhar won the Vice President’s post with a margin of 346 votes. This time, the ruling alliance expects a narrower margin.
The BJP-led NDA has 427 MPs in both Houses. The majority mark is 386, especially after BJD and BRS announced they will abstain. The party has also secured support from the YSR Congress.
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To prevent cross-voting, the BJP has adopted what it calls a “man-to-man marking” strategy. Senior leaders are assigned to groups of MPs to keep them together through the day.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi is managing MPs from southern states, while Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal is handling MPs from Uttar Pradesh. Other senior leaders like Shivraj Singh Chouhan, ML Khattar, and Arjun Meghwal are also in charge of safeguarding party MPs.
INDIA Bloc’s Numbers
The opposition INDIA bloc has around 315 MPs. The Aam Aadmi Party’s 12 MPs may also vote for Justice Reddy. However, there is some internal discord. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal may not follow the party’s decision due to her past clash with Arvind Kejriwal.
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Even if all opposition MPs vote together, CP Radhakrishnan still has the edge because of the NDA’s strength in Parliament.
Why the Election Became Necessary
This election comes after Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned last month, citing ill health. His decision followed a controversy where he allowed an opposition motion to impeach Delhi High Court judge Justice Yashwant Verma in the cash-at-home case.
Political Significance
The BJP’s choice of CP Radhakrishnan is seen as a strategy to connect with Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. The opposition had initially considered DMK’s Tiruchi Siva but finally fielded Justice Reddy, a former top court judge.
By tonight, India will know whether CP Radhakrishnan or Justice B Sudershan Reddy will take charge as the country’s new Vice President.
