VP Candidate CP Radhakrishnan’s Mother Shares the Story Behind His Name

A highly personal party in Tamil Nadu's Tiruppur district became politically charged on Saturday when Vice-Presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan's mother, Janaki Ammal, cut a cake at home to celebrate her son's nomination. CPR, or so he is widely known, was announced as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) candidate for India's next Vice President.

Janaki Ammal revealed the reason behind his name to family members and party activists. "We named him CP Radhakrishnan with the hope that he would become like President Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. Lord Sundaramoorthy has raised him higher than our expectations," she said. She wished for his success, saying, "Lord Ganesh should bestow his blessings upon him. I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for this recognition."

The occasion marks CPR's rise from being a moderate and affable BJP leader in Tamil Nadu to national renown. Elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in 1998 and 1999, he subsequently served as Tamil Nadu BJP president, gubernatorial appointments in Jharkhand, and additional roles in Telangana and Puducherry, prior to becoming Maharashtra Governor.

If she is elected, CPR will be the third Vice President of Tamil Nadu, following Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and R Venkataraman—both of whom went on to become President afterwards. President Abdul Kalam has also come from Tamil Nadu, highlighting Tamil Nadu's tradition of providing India's top offices.

The announcement carries political symbolism. While the ruling DMK welcomed it, it ruled out supporting him, though the BJP has the numbers to push the nomination forward. CPR’s elevation comes amid heightened political currents, with the DMK framing the upcoming 2026 state elections around Tamil identity, heritage, and language, and accusing the BJP of Hindi imposition, opposition to NEET, and withholding funds.

Puting forward a Tamil face in the form of Vice President enables the BJP to dispel charges of being "anti-Tamil" and asserts the party's determination towards the state. CPR's origins in Coimbatore—a fortress of the AIADMK and a western belt where the BJP has made strides—can also serve to firm up support and tone down the party's image throughout Tamil Nadu.

For the moment, politics was a backburner issue as his mother, aged 86, enjoyed the festivities, reminiscing about a name picked in hope and a fate that has led her son one step closer to Rashtrapati Bhavan.