New Delhi [India], August 19 : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday said that retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy is the joint candidate of opposition parties for the upcoming Vice Presidential elections and confirmed AAP's support for his candidature.
"Understand this first that he is the candidate of the opposition parties. AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and the party have decided that we will support former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy," Singh told ANI.
His statement came in response to questions over Reddy's nomination as the INDIA bloc's Vice Presidential candidate.
Reddy, earlier in the day, expressed his gratitude to the INDIA bloc for nominating him and appealed to all Members of Parliament to support his candidature.
"Thank you for projecting me as a candidate on behalf of the INDIA Alliance. But for (sic) you, it would not have been possible...As a candidate, I would humbly request and appeal to all the Parliamentarians to support my candidature," Reddy told reporters here.
"I am very, very happy. Thank you," he added.
When asked about him and his competition being from southern India, Reddy said that "south, north, east, west" doesn't matter since both - him and Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan - were Indian nationals.
"It is the Parliamentarians who elect the Vice President. Political parties may sponsor the candidates. There is only one citizenship in this country. CP Radhakrishnan and I are Indian nationals. Whether it is South, North, East, or West, nothing matters," Reddy said.
The retired Supreme Court judge, who has been nominated as the joint opposition candidate for the Vice President post, was welcomed by the INDIA bloc MPs after arriving in Delhi today.
The INDIA bloc announced retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its Vice Presidential candidate earlier in the day, terming the election an "ideological fight" against the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
The opposition leaders said their choice of candidate is meant to defend constitutional values.
Earlier in the day, Kharge said Reddy would file his nomination on August 21.
Reddy, who served as Chief Justice of the Guwahati High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in 2007, retired in July 2011. He will contest against the NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan.
The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for September 9, with counting on the same day.