NDA’s choice for VP: A symbol of southern outreach and Sangh–BJP cohesion

CP Radhakrishnan

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the Vice-Presidential election, to be held on September 9, 2025. Radhakrishnan is currently governor of Maharashtra. Given the favourable numbers for the NDA in both houses of the parliament, Radhakrishnan’s victory is certain.

The choice of Radhakrishnan for the prestigious constitutional post is a well-calibrated move and will help BJP in multiple ways. It will also create confusion in the Opposition camp and could have long term implications for Tamil Nadu.

But most importantly, this choice should put to rest the rumour mill which have been working overtime to establish that there is a rift between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh(RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Radhakrishnan is an RSS swayamsevak. His journey in public life began with the RSS several decades ago; later he joined the BJP and rose through the ranks to become the president of the party's Tamil Nadu unit.

Before Radhakrishnan’s name was announced, two significant events took place.  First, C. Sadanandan Master, an RSS Swayamsevak from Kerala who had become a victim of Communists’ brutality and lost both his legs, was nominated to Rajya Sabha.

Second, Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised RSS from the ramparts of the Red Fort in his Independence Day speech this year.

As the RSS is turning 100 this year on Vijayadashami, Prime Minister Modi said, “ …With great pride, I wish to mention ... One hundred years ago, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was founded. These 100 years of service to the nation constitute a proud and golden chapter. With the resolve of nation-building through character-building, with the aim of serving Maa Bharati, the swayamsevaks have, for a century, dedicated their lives to the welfare of the motherland. Service, dedication, organisation, and unmatched discipline—these have been its hallmarks. In a sense, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is the world’s largest NGO, with a century-long history of devotion. Today, from the ramparts of the Red Fort, I salute all the swayamsevaks who have contributed to this century-long journey of national service, and the nation takes pride in this grand and dedicated journey of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which will continue to inspire us.”

Earlier Prime Minister Modi had also talked about the RSS and its contribution in a podcast with Lex Fridman in March this year.

According to the transcript of the podcast released officially by the Prime Minister’s Office, discussing about the impact that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has had on his early life, Prime Minister mentioned his childhood fascination with patriotic songs, particularly those sung by a man named Makoshi, who would visit his village with a tambourine. He said that these songs deeply touched him and played a role in his eventual involvement with RSS. He highlighted that the RSS instilled in him core values such as doing everything with a purpose, whether studying or exercising, to contribute to the nation.

PM Modi remarked during the podcast that the RSS provides a clear direction toward a purpose in life, emphasizing that serving people is akin to serving God. He noted that the RSS is nearing its 100th anniversary and is a massive volunteer organization with millions of members worldwide.

Highlighting various initiatives inspired by the RSS, such as Seva Bharati, which runs over 1,25,000 service projects in slums and settlements without government assistance, Modi also mentioned Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram, which works in tribal regions… and Vidya Bharati, which operates nearly 25,000 schools educating around 30 lakh students. He emphasized that the RSS prioritizes education and values, ensuring students remain grounded and learn skills to avoid becoming a burden on society.

PM Modi had also mentioned Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS), another RSS-inspired organisation. He talked about how BMS, which has millions of members across the country, adopted a unique approach by focusing on “Workers! unite the world,” contrasting with traditional labour movements. The Prime Minister had expressed gratitude for the life values and purpose he gained from the RSS.

From above mentioned incidents, it is clear that all the talk about ‘rift’ between the RSS and the BJP is a figment of imagination.

In fact, there is a clear pattern to such rumour mongering. Whenever BJP comes to power, the rumour mill starts churning these stories about the rift between the two. Since 2014, such rumours have been going on but the BJP continues to win successive elections and the RSS has also continued to expand its footprint and sphere of influence across various walks of life.

Impact in South India

Radhakrishnan’s elevation is going to benefit the BJP in south India especially in the upcoming Tamil Nadu elections as the party is bound to earn more goodwill with the nomination of a leader from the state to such a prestigious post. The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu, along with the INDIA Bloc, finds itself in a dilemma whether they should back a fellow Tamil leader cutting across party affiliations, or they should be guided by the compulsions of the ‘politics of opposition’.

BJP’s state president Nainar Nagendran has already urged all parties to “look beyond political divides” and extend support to Radhakrishnan. “This is an opportunity for the DMK to correct its historic blunder of not supporting the re-election of our beloved son of the soil, Dr (APJ) Kalam. By refusing to support another Tamil, the DMK risks once again being on the wrong side of history," declared Nagendran.