Two-time MP, Governor, table tennis champion: 5 points on CP Radhakrishnan, NDA's VP pick

BJP national president JP Nadda announced CP Radhakrishnan’s name for the September 9 election after a parliamentary board meeting in Delhi.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Sunday announced Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan as their nominee for the Vice Presidential election.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted this picture on NDA announcing Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the Vice Presidential election, on Sunday. (X/ @narendramodi)

BJP national president JP Nadda announced Radhakrishnan’s name after a parliamentary board meeting in Delhi. The NDA allies had earlier this month authorised Nadda and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to name the candidate for the September 9 election, although the BJP president said that talks will be held with the opposition to ensure an unopposed election.

PM Modi also lauded Radhakrishnan’s nomination, saying that he would be an inspiring Vice President.

Here are some points on CP Radhakrishnan’s political career:

CP Radhakrishnan nominated as NDA VP candidate: 5 points

• Born on October 20, 1957, in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruppur, CP Radhakrishnan earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He started as a Swayamsevak in the RSS during college and, in 1974, became the state executive committee member of the Bharatiya Jan Sangh, the precursor to the BJP.
• Radhakrishnan has held several organisational posts in the BJP. He became the secretary of the party's Tamil Nadu unit in 1996. He also held the post of BJP Tamil Nadu president from 2004 to 2007.
• CP Radhakrishnan was twice elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore, first in 1998 and then again in 1999. During his time in the parliament, he served as the chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee for textiles and was a member of committees for PSUs and Finance.
• Radhakrishnan has held the posts of governor of states like Jharkhand and Maharashtra, and held the additional charge of the state of Telangana.
• Apart from his career in politics, CP Radhakrishnan is also known as an avid sportsperson. According to his profile on the Maharashtra Raj Bhawan website, he was a table tennis champion during his college years and enjoyed playing cricket and volleyball.