The upcoming Vice Presidential election in India, scheduled for September 9, 2025, has set the stage for a significant political contest between the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) candidate, CP Radhakrishnan and the INDI alliance candidate, B Sudershan Reddy. Clearly, CP Radhakrishnan is the superior choice for Vice President of India due to his extensive political experience, deep grassroots’ connections, strategic regional appeal and most importantly his alignment with the “India First" ethos.

CP Radhakrishnan, born on October 20, 1957, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, is a seasoned politician with a career spanning over four decades. A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and closely associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his youth, Radhakrishnan has built a stellar reputation as a hands-on leader with significant organisational experience. His political journey began at the age of 16 when he joined the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the precursor to the BJP and he has since, held various leadership roles within the party, including serving as the president of the Tamil Nadu BJP unit from 2004 to 2007. Radhakrishnan’s political credentials are robust. He represented Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha in 1998 and 1999, showcasing his ability to connect with voters in a State where the BJP historically faced challenges. His tenure as the chairman of the Coir Board of India from 2016 to 2020 saw record-high coir exports of Rs 2532 crore, demonstrating his administrative competence. More recently, Radhakrishnan has served as the Governor of Jharkhand (2023–2024), Telangana, Puducherry, and currently Maharashtra (since July 2024), roles that have equipped him with experience in handling high-level Constitutional responsibilities and navigating complex political landscapes.

Chairperson of Rajya Sabha needs to be someone who is not only familiar with Constitutional nitty-gritties but someone who has also had an active role in politics in the past, so that the larger political issues can be debated on the floor of the Upper House and be steered by a man with relevant experience. On this count alone, Sudershan Reddy’s candidacy completely falls apart due to no prior political experience, whereas Radhakrishnan ticks all the boxes.

B Sudershan Reddy, born on July 8, 1946, in Telangana, is a retired Supreme Court judge with a controversial legal career. He also briefly served as the first Lokayukta of Goa in 2013. His legal career is, however, marked by some reportedly regressive judgments earning him much criticism. Reddy’s rulings, particularly in the Salwa Judum case and the Bhopal Gas tragedy, have been rightfully criticised for their disconnect from practical governance and failure to deliver justice to vulnerable populations. One of the most criticised judgments authored by Justice Reddy was the 2011 Nandini Sundar vs. State of Chhattisgarh case, which declared the Chhattisgarh government’s Salwa........

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