In a significant move, C.P. Radhakrishnan, the Governor of Jharkhand, was appointed as the Governor of Telangana and the Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry on Tuesday. The decision comes following the acceptance of Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan's resignation by President Droupadi Murmu.
A release from Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday said, "The President of India has accepted the resignation of Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan as Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. "
"The President of India is also pleased to appoint Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Jharkhand to discharge the functions of the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in addition to his own duties, until regular arrangements are made," it said.
Further, the release said that the above appointment would take effect from the date C.P. Radhakrishnan assumed charge of his office.
CP Radhakrishnan Expresses Gratitude
On the appointment, C.P. Radhakrishnan taking to X said, "I am humbled and blessed to be given the additional responsibility to serve as the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry."
"I thank from the bottom of my heart our beloved most respected Honourable President Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji, our beloved most respected Honourable Prime Minister Shri. @narendramodi Ji and our beloved most respected Honourable Home Minister Shri. @AmitShah Ji for giving me this great additional responsibility to serve our Motherland. Jai Hind ! 🇮🇳🙏@rashtrapatibhvn," he said.
Who Is CP Radhakrishnan?
Known for his results-driven leadership, Radhakrishnan made his mark in Tamil Nadu BJP as a pragmatic leader. Having been an RSS member since the age of 16, he rose through the ranks to win two Lok Sabha elections from Coimbatore as a BJP candidate in 1998 and 1999, with the latter in the wake of 1998 Coimbatore bombing tensions. Later, he lost the seat in 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
In 2014, he was selected as the BJP candidate for Lok Sabha seat again from Coimbatore Constituency. Despite the absence of alliances with Tamil Nadu's major parties, DMK and AIADMK, he achieved the second position with a tally of over 3,89,000 votes, the highest among BJP candidates in Tamil Nadu. He was subsequently nominated again by the party to contest the 2019 elections from Coimbatore but failed to taste success.
However, his contributions to BJP extend beyond electoral success. His efforts in forming alliances with AIADMK in 2004 after DMK's departure from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) continue to demonstrate his adeptness in coalition-building. Throughout his political career, Radhakrishnan has been instrumental in fostering alliances and navigating challenging political landscapes.
Radhakrishnan served as a National Executive Member and held position of Tamil Nadu BJP President from 2004 to 2007. Additionally, he was appointed as Kerala BJP Prabhari (In-Charge) by the party's high command.
Notably, Radhakrishnan chaired All India Coir Board from 2016 to 2019, a significant responsibility under Ministry of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME).
In February 2023, C.P. Radhakrishnan was appointed as the Governor of Jharkhand.