Vice President Election: NDA's CP Radhakrishnan or INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy — who has the numbers?
Vice Presidential Election 2025: Direct contest likely between NDA's CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy. Here's how the numbers stack up
- Aug 19, 2025,
- Updated Aug 19, 2025 1:49 PM IST
The Opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, announced former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its joint candidate for the Vice-Presidential elections. Besides being a former Supreme Court judge, Reddy is the first Lokayukta of Goa.
The announcement came days after the ruling NDA bloc, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), announced senior BJP leader and former Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its choice for V-P. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Opposition to support the senior BJP leader's candidature.
With this, a direct contest is now expected between NDA's CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy.
NDA bloc vs INDIA alliance: Numbers in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha
Going by the numbers, CP Radhakrishnan is likely to have a higher chance of winning the V-P elections against Sudershan Reddy.
Out of the total 542 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the NDA has 293 MPs, whereas 249 are with the Opposition. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP-led NDA has the support of nearly 130 members.
If the NDA allies support Radhakrishnan, the ruling coalition will have a majority in the electoral college, and the former Jharkhand governor will win. The outcome may, however, be different if a few NDA members rebel and vote for the INDIA bloc candidate.
Vice President election process
As per the Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution and the Vice-President (Election) Rules, a formal election must be held within 60 days of Dhankhar's resignation and before September 19 this year.
The last date of filing nomination is August 21 and the election is scheduled to be held on September 9.
In India, the Vice President is elected by an Electoral College, which comprises the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (elected as well as nominated). Voting is done through a secret ballot. The value of every vote cast in the V-P election has the same value, i.e., one.
At present, the electoral college has 782 MPs, excluding the 6 vacancies. To win the election, the candidate must secure more than half of the total votes (392 votes), considering a full house and every MP exercising their franchise.
The Opposition INDIA alliance, led by the Congress party, announced former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its joint candidate for the Vice-Presidential elections. Besides being a former Supreme Court judge, Reddy is the first Lokayukta of Goa.
The announcement came days after the ruling NDA bloc, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), announced senior BJP leader and former Jharkhand Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its choice for V-P. Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Opposition to support the senior BJP leader's candidature.
With this, a direct contest is now expected between NDA's CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc's Sudershan Reddy.
NDA bloc vs INDIA alliance: Numbers in Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha
Going by the numbers, CP Radhakrishnan is likely to have a higher chance of winning the V-P elections against Sudershan Reddy.
Out of the total 542 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the NDA has 293 MPs, whereas 249 are with the Opposition. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP-led NDA has the support of nearly 130 members.
If the NDA allies support Radhakrishnan, the ruling coalition will have a majority in the electoral college, and the former Jharkhand governor will win. The outcome may, however, be different if a few NDA members rebel and vote for the INDIA bloc candidate.
Vice President election process
As per the Articles 63 to 71 of the Constitution and the Vice-President (Election) Rules, a formal election must be held within 60 days of Dhankhar's resignation and before September 19 this year.
The last date of filing nomination is August 21 and the election is scheduled to be held on September 9.
In India, the Vice President is elected by an Electoral College, which comprises the members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (elected as well as nominated). Voting is done through a secret ballot. The value of every vote cast in the V-P election has the same value, i.e., one.
At present, the electoral college has 782 MPs, excluding the 6 vacancies. To win the election, the candidate must secure more than half of the total votes (392 votes), considering a full house and every MP exercising their franchise.