Vice President Election 2025: CP Radhakrishnan vs B Sudershan Reddy — Who Will Win? Here’s What Numbers Say

Vice President Election 2025: The contest for India’s 15th Vice Presidential election has turned into a high-stakes political battle between the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate CP Radhakrishnan and the opposition-backed nominee, retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy.

The voting began on Tuesday morning, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being the first to cast his vote, followed by ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs), and other senior leaders.

The outcome of this election will be declared later in the evening when the counting of votes concludes. But even before the ballots are counted, the numbers already suggest a clear frontrunner.

CP Radhakrishnan vs B Sudershan Reddy: Equation

The Vice Presidential election is conducted by an electoral college comprising members of both Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This time, the electoral strength stands at 781 MPs, with 542 members in the Lok Sabha (one seat vacant) and 239 in the Rajya Sabha (five seats vacant).

To win, a candidate must secure more than half of the valid votes cast. With abstentions expected, the effective majority mark stands at 386.

NDA’s Strength and Radhakrishnan’s Edge

CP Radhakrishnan, the former BJP parliamentarian and a seasoned political worker from Tamil Nadu, seems to have the edge in this contest. Backed by the NDA, which commands 427 MPs, he enjoys a comfortable cushion over the halfway mark.

The ruling coalition includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party (TDP), and Janata Dal (United), whose combined strength alone guarantees him 278 votes in the Lok Sabha and 108 in the Rajya Sabha.

Additional allies further bolster this tally. Union Minister Suresh Gopi, speaking about Radhakrishnan, called him one of the “best workers” of the ideological system and said the election was about “selecting fairness, truthfulness, and effectiveness.”

B Sudershan Reddy: Equation and Numbers

On the other side, the INDIA bloc has fielded B. Sudershan Reddy, who carries the weight of his judicial reputation and has secured the backing of 354 MPs. This includes 249 members from the Lower House and 105 from the Upper House.

The opposition leaders are hoping for cross-voting from NDA allies, arguing that conscience will play a role in this election.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav went so far as to say that while numbers favour the BJP, the election is not just about arithmetic, but about “principles” and “conscience.”

Also Read: PM Modi Set To Cast First Vote In Vice Presidential Elections: Sources

Impact of Abstentions

However, abstentions are set to hurt the opposition camp. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) with seven MPs, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) with four MPs, and the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) with one MP have announced they will sit out of the election.

Additionally, a Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) MP will not participate either, taking the total abstentions to 13. This reduces the overall voting pool from 781 to 770, pushing the winning mark to 386.

CP Radhakrishnan vs B Sudershan Reddy: Likely Outcome

In such a scenario, the NDA’s projected 427 votes give CP Radhakrishnan a decisive advantage. Even if a small section of MPs were to cross-vote, his tally is unlikely to fall below the majority threshold.

The INDIA bloc’s 354 MPs, despite their optimism, face a daunting arithmetic. Without unexpected defections, their candidate, B. Sudershan Reddy, is set to fall short of the winning number.