BJP’s Strategic Turning Point: From Jagdeep Dhankhar to CP Radhakrishnan – A 180-Degree Turn
In an unexpected but strategic turn of events, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice President candidate for India, after Jagdeep Dhankhar’s sudden resignation on July 21, 2025. The move was announced on August 17, 2025, by BJP national president JP Nadda. This is a major turn in the party’s approach, showing a change from confrontation to consensus and a conscious effort to consolidate its position in southern India. This change, which has been termed as a “180-degree turn,” speaks to the BJP’s resilience in coping with India’s political maze.
A Tale of Two Leaders: Contrasting Styles and Backgrounds
Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman since 2022, was remembered for his incisive legal intellect and combative approach. A past West Bengal Governor, Dhankhar’s term was characterized by constant confrontations with the Mamata Banerjee government, and he quickly gained the reputation as a “tough enforcer” for the BJP. His promotion to the Vice Presidency was viewed as an attempt to win over the Jat community when there were protests in 2022 to include them in the nation’s power establishment. Still, his vocal and legalistic interventions in Rajya Sabha regularly attracted criticism from the opposition parties, who charged him with partisanship and compromising the neutrality of the office.
Dhankhar’s resignation, citing reasons of health, followed hours after he had signed an opposition-sponsored motion for the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma unilaterally without referring it to the government, a decision that apparently left internal pockets in the BJP disturbed. His rude behavior with senior cabinet ministers and secret meetings with opposition leaders, such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Arvind Kejriwal, are cited as additional factors that put him at odds with the party leadership.
Come in CP Radhakrishnan, a veteran politician and current Governor of Maharashtra, whose appointment marks a marked change in temperament and style. Born in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, in 1957, Radhakrishnan is an ideologue from his earliest years with roots planted deep in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from the age of 17. A two-time Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore and past president of Tamil Nadu BJP, Radhakrishnan is famous for his composed, accommodative style and institutional propriety. His political life, with stints as Chairman of the Coir Board and Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana, and Puducherry, demonstrates a mix of ideological depth and administrative know-how.
Strategic Calculations: OBC Engineering and Southern Outreach
Radhakrishnan’s selection over Dhankhar emphasizes two BJP priorities: the re-establishment of its Other Backward Classes (OBC) social engineering and greater presence in southern India, especially Tamil Nadu, in the run-up to the 2026 Assembly polls. While Dhankhar’s Jat credentials were used to tackle northern caste politics, Radhakrishnan’s OBC heritage and Tamil origins fit with the party’s efforts towards inclusivity and regional distribution. The BJP has found it difficult to make inroads in south states other than Karnataka, and Radhakrishnan’s nomination is a strategic move to present a pan-South Indian image.
Radhakrishnan’s stint as a governor demonstrated his skill at negotiating diplomatically, even with ideological rivals. In Tamil Nadu, he responded tactfully to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)’s attack on the central government yet exercised restraint in doing so, e.g., by calling out Udhayanidhi Stalin’s statements on Sanatana Dharma as “childish.” His constructive yet balanced interventions in Maharashtra, such as dealing with the contentious Public Security Bill, further mark him out for the Vice President’s position that is also the Rajya Sabha Chairman.
A Shift Towards Consensus in the Rajya Sabha
The Rajya Sabha, being India’s Upper House, needs a chairperson who can build consensus between plural political voices. The aggressive style of Dhankhar consistently disrupted smooth working of parliament, with the opposition complaining of bias. Radhakrishnan, on the other hand, is regarded as a consensus builder whose temperament fits the constitutional requirements of the position. His longstanding RSS connections offer ideological consistency to the BJP, yet his political baggage-free status and conciliatory nature give him the potential to act as a bridge between the government and the opposition.
BJP parliamentary board, comprising the likes of JP Nadda and Amit Shah, decided to nominate Radhakrishnan on August 17, 2025, with the election to the Vice Presidency set for September 9. With the NDA having 422 votes in the electoral college made up of 786 members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Radhakrishnan is all but home, going by full participation. The party has further indicated that it will ask for opposition support for an unopposed election, a decision that indicates that it wants to have a less confrontational parliamentary atmosphere.
Implications for BJP’s Overall Strategy
Radhakrishnan’s nomination is not just a change in leadership; it’s an indication of the BJP’s changing priorities. With the selection of a leader who has roots in the RSS and a southern identity, the party is hoping to battle the DMK’s rhetoric of Tamil exclusion and reinforce its appeal in a space where it has traditionally faltered. The decision also fits into the BJP’s overall OBC outreach, an important consideration in its election strategy. As one party source put it, “Whereas Dhankhar focused politics on caste and region, Radhakrishnan expands it to national inclusiveness.”
Dhankhar’s resignation and the promotion of Radhakrishnan also indicate the BJP’s ability to change gears quickly to suit political realities. The party’s humiliation at Dhankhar’s mismanagement of the Justice Varma impeachment motion and his tense relationship with the government forced the party to correct its course. In contrast, the nomination of Radhakrishnan is a masterstroke in strategy, juxtaposing ideological loyalty with pragmatism in governance.
Looking Ahead: A New Chapter for the Vice Presidency
As India heads towards the Vice Presidential election, everyone’s eyes will be on CP Radhakrishnan and whether he can traverse the intricacies of the Rajya Sabha. His broad-mindedness and strong ideological roots make him a leader who has the potential to balance the Upper House while taking the BJP’s long-term interests forward. For a party known for its strategic maneuvering, this 180-degree turn from Dhankhar to Radhakrishnan is a testament to its ability to recalibrate and seize new opportunities in India’s dynamic political arena.
