Jairam Ramesh congratulates CP Radhakrishnan, reflects on India’s first Vice President’s vision
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh extended his warm congratulations to C.P. Radhakrishnan on becoming India’s new Vice President. Ramesh shared his message on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting how Radhakrishnan will also take on the role of Rajya Sabha Chairman. He drew inspiration from Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s first Vice President and the original Rajya Sabha Chairman, whose timeless words continue to guide leaders today.
In his post, Ramesh quoted Dr. Radhakrishnan’s famous inaugural address from May 16, 1952. The quote emphasized impartiality in democracy: “I do not belong to any one party, and that means I belong to every party in this House. My endeavour will be to uphold the highest traditions of parliamentary democracy and to act with complete impartiality and equality towards every party—bearing no malice towards anyone and maintaining goodwill towards all… If a democracy does not allow opposition groups to critically, independently, and clearly critique the government’s policies, it may turn into a dictatorship…”
Ramesh praised the new Vice President for living out these principles throughout his career, both in action and in spirit. This nod to Dr. Radhakrishnan’s legacy adds a heartfelt touch to the Vice Presidential election buzz, reminding everyone of the core values of Indian parliamentary democracy.
The Vice Presidential election results grabbed headlines as NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan won convincingly with 452 first-preference votes. His opponent, Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy—the joint pick of the INDIA bloc—received 300 votes. Though the outcome was expected, it sparked debates on opposition unity and voting trends in Indian politics.
Earlier, Ramesh celebrated the opposition’s strong showing. He posted: “The voting in the Vice-Presidential election is over. The Opposition has stood united. ALL of its 315 MPs have turned up for voting. This is an unprecedented 100 per cent turnout.” He also noted that their candidate secured 40 percent of the votes, a big jump from 26 percent in 2022. Ramesh called the BJP’s win an “arithmetical victory” but a “moral and political defeat” for them.
That said, the final tally showed a wider gap than expected, fueling talks of possible cracks in the opposition alliance. Rajya Sabha Secretary General P.C. Mody announced the results, confirming Radhakrishnan’s comfortable victory. As India moves forward, these election insights highlight ongoing challenges for opposition unity and the future of democratic debates in the Rajya Sabha.
