Wikipedia

C. P. Radhakrishnan

Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan (born 20 October 1957) is an Indian politician and businessman who has served as the governor of Maharashtra since 31 July 2024. He previously served as the governor of Jharkhand from February 2023 to July 2024.[8][9]

C. P. Radhakrishnan
C. P. Radhakrishnan
Radhakrishnan in 2024
Governor of Maharashtra
Incumbent
Assumed office
31 July 2024[1]
Chief MinisterEknath Shinde
Devendra Fadnavis
Preceded byRamesh Bais
Governor of Jharkhand
In office
18 February 2023[2] – 30 July 2024[3]
Chief MinisterHemant Soren
Champai Soren
Preceded byRamesh Bais
Succeeded bySantosh Gangwar
Governor of Telangana
In office
20 March 2024[4] – 30 July 2024[5]
Chief MinisterRevanth Reddy
Preceded byTamilisai Soundararajan
Succeeded byJishnu Dev Varma
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry
In office
22 March 2024[6] – 6 August 2024[7]
Chief MinisterN. Rangaswamy
Preceded byTamilisai Soundararajan
Succeeded byKuniyil Kailashnathan
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
28 February 1998 – 22 May 2004
Preceded byM. Ramanathan
Succeeded byK. Subbarayan
ConstituencyCoimbatore
State President of Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu
In office
12 May 2003 – 22 September 2006
Preceded byS. P. Kirubanidhi
Succeeded byLa. Ganesan
Personal details
Born
Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan

(1957-10-20) 20 October 1957 (age 67)
Tiruppur, Madras State (present–day Tamil Nadu), India
Political partyBharatiya Janata Party
Spouse
R. Sumathi
​
(m. 1985)​
Children2
Alma materV. O. Chidambaram College (BBA)
OccupationBusinessman, agriculturalist, politician

A member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since his youth, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in the 1998 and re-elected in the 1999 general elections. He was defeated in 2004; Radhakrishnan was the BJP candidate in Coimbatore in the 2014 and 2019 general elections, facing defeat in both attempts.[10] He was also the former state president of the BJP for Tamil Nadu.

In August 2025, Radhakrishnan was announced as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in the 2025 vice presidential election.[11]

Early life

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Radhakrishnan was born on 20 October 1957 to C. K. Ponnusamy, his father, and K. Janaki, his mother, in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu.[12] In his youth, he was a college champion in table tennis and holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from V. O. Chidambaram College in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.[13][14][15]

Since the age of 16, Radhakrishnan has been associated with organisations like the RSS and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (Jan Sangh).[16][17]

Political career

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In 1974, he was elected to the Jan Sangh's state executive committee. He joined the BJP after it was founded in 1980, becoming an aide to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.[18]

In 1998, Radhakrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha, representing Coimbatore; he defeated incumbent M. Ramanathan of the DMK. He was one of 3 BJP candidate's to win in Tamil Nadu following the party's alliance with the AIADMK, a first for the BJP.[10] His election to Parliament was in the aftermath of the 1998 Coimbatore bombings.[19] He won by a margin of over 150,000 votes in 1998 and by a margin of 55,000 in the 1999 elections.[20][21][22] He was among the BJP's state leaders who worked on forming an alliance with the AIADMK in 2004 after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ended its ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA).[23][16] He was also part of a parliamentary delegation to the United Nations, addressing the 58th session of the UN General Assembly on 20 October 2003. He spoke about strengthening the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance. His tenure in the Parliament of India ended following his defeat in the 2004 general election to K. Subbarayan of the Communist Party of India.[24][17] He was a member of the Parliamentary Committee for Public Sector Undertakings (PSU) from 1998 to 2004 and a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee for Finance.[17]

He was the state president for Bharatiya Janata Party, Tamil Nadu from 2004 to 2006. As the president, he took a rath yatra for 93 days, advocating the linkage of Indian rivers, eradicating untouchability, and campaigning against terrorism in India. He covered all the constituencies of Tamil Nadu during his journey and faced criticism from the DMK. He was also involved in the organising of the Bharatiya Janata Party state unit in Kerala during the 2000s.[25][26]

In 2012, Radhakrishnan faced court arrest in Mettupalayam for protesting inaction against culprits who had assaulted an RSS activist.[27]

He was named as the BJP candidate for Coimbatore in 2014, securing second place with over 3,89,000 votes; the highest among Tamil Nadu's BJP candidates, and losing by the smallest margin among all candidates in Tamil Nadu. He was named the party's Coimbatore candidate once again for the 2019 general election.[28][16]

He was the chairman of the Coir Board of India, which comes under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, from 2016 to 2020.[29][17] He was also a member of the BJP's national executive Member of the BJP.[17][30]

Governorships (2023–2025)

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On 12 February 2023, prime minister Narendra Modi announced that Radhakrishnan would be appointed as governor of Jharkhand, succeeding Ramesh Bais.[8][17] He took office on 18 February.[31]

On 19 March 2024, following the resignation of Tamilisai Soundararajan, he was given the additional responsibility as governor of Telangana and as lieutenant Governor of Puducherry.[32][33]

 
CP Radhakrishnan takes oath as Governor in presence of Chief Justice of Maharashtra

On 27 July 2024, he was appointed as governor of Maharashtra. Jishnu Dev Varma, Santosh Gangwar and Kuniyil Kailashnathan, took over his positions in Telangana, Jharkhand, and Puducherry, respectively.[34][35][36]

2025 vice presidential campaign

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On 17 August 2025, following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, BJP national president J. P. Nadda announced Radhakrishnan's candidacy in the 2025 vice presidential election. He was endorsed by all NDA member parties, including the JD(U), TDP, Shiv Sena, NCP, and AIADMK, and non-member parties, such as the YSRCP.[37][38] He will run against Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy.[39]

Personal life

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On 25 November 1985, Radhakrishnan married R. Sumathi. The couple has 2 children. He is a member of Lions Clubs International and enjoys playing cricket, volleyball, and long-distance running.[40][41]

Elections contested and positions held

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Vice Presidential elections

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Elections Home State Alliance Result Vote percentage Opposition
Candidate Home State Alliance Vote percentage
2025 Tamil Nadu NDA TBA TBA B. Sudarshan Reddy Telangana INDIA TBA

Lok Sabha elections

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Elections Lok Sabha Constituency Political party Result Vote percentage Opposition
Candidate Political party Vote percentage
1998 12th Coimbatore BJP   Won 55.85% K. R. Subbian DMK   37.86%
1999 13th Coimbatore BJP   Won 49.21% R. Nallakannu CPI   43.02%
2004 14th Coimbatore BJP   Lost 38.74% K. Subbarayan CPI   57.46%
2014 16th Coimbatore BJP   Lost 33.12% P. Nagarajan AIADMK   36.69%
2019 17th Coimbatore BJP   Lost 45.66% P. R. Natarajan CPI(M)   31.34%

Positions in Parliament of the Republic of India

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Rajya Sabha
Elections Position Term in office
Assumed office Left office Time in office
Lok Sabha
Elections Position Elected constituency Term in office
Assumed office Left office Time in office
1998 Member of Parliament Coimbatore 23 March 1998 26 April 1999 1 year, 34 days
1999 Member of Parliament Coimbatore 20 October 1999 6 February 2004 4 years, 109 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "CP Radhakrishnan takes oath as Maharashtra governor". The Times of India. 31 July 2024.
  2. ^ "C.P. Radhakrishnan takes oath as Jharkhand Governor". The Hindu. 18 February 2023.
  3. ^ "Santosh Kumar Gangwar sworn in as Jharkhand Governor". Deccan Herald. 31 July 2024.
  4. ^ "Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan takes charge as Telangana governor". News on AIR. 20 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Jishnu Dev Varma takes oath as Governor of Telangana". Deccan Chronicle. 31 July 2024. Archived from the original on 31 July 2024.
  6. ^ "C.P. Radhakrishnan assumes charge of Lt. Governor of Puducherry". News on AIR. 22 March 2024.
  7. ^ "Kailashnathan sworn-in as Lt. Governor of Puducherry". The Hindu. 7 August 2024.
  8. ^ a b "C.P. Radhakrishnan takes oath as Jharkhand Governor". The Hindu. 18 February 2023. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  9. ^ "Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan - Hon'ble Governor of Jharkhand". Governor of Jharkhand. Archived from the original on 3 March 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
  10. ^ a b "Verdict not a surprise, says Radhakrishnan". The Hindu. Coimbatore. 25 October 2007. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 29 December 2013.
  11. ^ "NDA names Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as vice-presidential candidate". Moneycontrol. 18 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Who is CP Radhakrishnan? Meet NDA candidate for Vice-Presidential election - here's all you need to know". The Times of India. 17 August 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  13. ^ "NDA Vice President: CP Radhakrishnan's Journey from RSS to Raj Bhavan". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  14. ^ https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/5-facts-about-cp-radhakrishnan-bjps-pick-for-vice-president-9103424
  15. ^ "Two-time MP, Governor, table tennis champion: 5 points on CP Radhakrishnan, NDA's VP pick". Hindustan Times. 17 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  16. ^ a b c "From Tamil Nadu BJP Leader To Governor Of Two States: Know Political Journey Of CP Radhakrishnan". ABP News. 19 March 2024. Archived from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d e f Ranjan, Mukesh (19 February 2023). "C P Radhakrishnan takes oath as 11th Governor of Jharkhand". Indian Express. Archived from the original on 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Vajpayee invites BJP leaders to Delhi for talks". The Hindu. Chennai. 14 September 2003. Archived from the original on 27 October 2003. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  19. ^ KV, Prasad (5 May 2006). "BJP will have to start from scratch". The Hindu. Coimbatore. Archived from the original on 30 December 2013. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  20. ^ "Key Contests : CP Radhakrishnan vs K Subbarayan". Business Standard. Coimbatore. 1 May 2004. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  21. ^ "It's the party that sells, not candidates!". Coimbatore. September 1999. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  22. ^ "It's for DMK to explain,says C.P. Radhakrishnan". The Hindu. Chennai. 13 May 2003. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  23. ^ "TN BJP invites AIADMK to return to NDA". Deccan Herald. Chennai. 3 January 2004. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  24. ^ "Statement by Hon'ble Mr. C. P. Radhakrishnan, Member of Parliament and Member of the Indian Delegation at the 58th Session of the UN General Assembly on October 20, 2003" (PDF). Permanent Mission of India to the UN, New York. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 March 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Raj Bhavan". Raj Bhavan. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  26. ^ "Two-month awareness yatra by TN BJP chief". The Times of India. 24 June 2003. ISSN 0971-8257. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2024.
  27. ^ "Normality returns to Mettupalayam". The Hindu. Udhagamandalam. 9 November 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
  28. ^ Madhavan, Karthik (22 March 2019). "Familiar faces to fight it out in Coimbatore". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  29. ^ "Coirboard". coirboard.gov.in. Archived from the original on 27 June 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  30. ^ "Senior BJP leader CP Radhakrishnan appointed Jharkhand Guv | Northeast Herald". Northeast Herald. Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  31. ^ https://www.myneta.info/LokSabha2019/candidate.php?candidate_id=5855
  32. ^ The Hindu (19 March 2024). "Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan given additional responsibilities of Telangana, Puducherry". Archived from the original on 19 March 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  33. ^ The Hindu (20 March 2024). "C.P. Radhakrishnan was sworn in as Telangana Governor". Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  34. ^ "Jishnu Dev Varma is new Governor of Telangana; Radhakrishnan moves to Maharashtra". Telangana Today. 28 July 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  35. ^ "PRESS COMMUNIQUE". President of India. 27 July 2024. Archived from the original on 28 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  36. ^ "PRESS COMMUNIQUE". President of India. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  37. ^ "Vice presidential poll: Nitish Kumar's JD(U) backs NDA's candidate; extends wishes to CP Radhakrishnan". The Times of India. 18 August 2025. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  38. ^ Sam Daniel Stalin, J (18 August 2025). ""Rise Above Party Lines": BJP, AIADMK To Opposition Over Vice President Pick". NDTV.
  39. ^ "VP Election 2025: I.N.D.I.A. Nominates Ex-SC Judge B Sudarshan Reddy". Deccan Herald. Retrieved 19 August 2025.
  40. ^ Centre, National Informatics. "Digital Sansad". Digital Sansad. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  41. ^ "Who is CP Radhakrishnan? NDA's candidate for Vice President elections". Wion. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
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Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Coimbatore
1998–2004 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Jharkhand
2023–2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Telangana
2024 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry
2024 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Maharashtra
2024–present 		Incumbent
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