New Delhi [India], August 19 : The Opposition's INDIA bloc on Tuesday announced former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election, terming the contest an "ideological fight" against the NDA.
Opposition leaders said their choice of candidate is meant to defend constitutional values.
"This is an ideological fight. The country doesn't know the reason behind the resignation of the last vice-president, Jagdeep Dhankhar...On one side, we are fighting for the constitutional rights...This country is facing big ideological issues... We are fighting to save the Constitution," Congress MP KC Venugopal said.
DMK MP Kanimozhi said the bloc had united to put up a candidate against the BJP nominee with an RSS background. "This is an ideological fight. So the Opposition parties came together to select one candidate against the candidate who comes from an RSS background. The candidate the Opposition has selected is the one who respects the Constitution...Just because you (BJP) have a candidate from Tamil Nadu, does not mean you care about Tamil Nadu, Tamil language or values of the state," she said.
Other MPs echoed similar views, with Congress's Syed Naseer Hussain saying Reddy had "fought for constitutional values and social justice." "He was the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court. He has fought for constitutional values and social justice. Today, we are facing an ideological battle in the country," Hussain said.
Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav said, "It will be a great election to save the Constitution. The INDIA alliance will win this election."
Congress MP K Suresh said, "All Opposition members agreed to the candidature of B Sudershan Reddy. His track record is very good and suitable for the post of the Vice President of India and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha."
"The entire Opposition parties stood together and supported his name. We feel proud of it. We are very happy to have such a candidate," Indian Union Muslim League leader Mohammed Basheer said.
"All political party leaders have decided this after analysing every aspect," DMK MP T Siva said while speaking to ANI.
The announcement also received backing from the YSR Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party.
RSP MP NK Premachandran said, "The strong message we would like to deliver to the public at large is that the entire Opposition is united. Immediately after the announcement of this candidate, the YSR Congress and the AAP have extended their support to this candidate. It is a political and ideological contest between the NDA and the INDIA alliance."
Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said Reddy would file his nomination on August 21. "This Vice Presidential contest is an ideological battle. All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India," Kharge wrote in a post on X.
"Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu is one of India's most distinguished and progressive jurists. He has had a long and eminent legal career including as Judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief Justice of Guwahati High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court. He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice. He reflects, fully, the values that shaped our country's Freedom Movement so profoundly, and the values on which our country's Constitution and Democracy have been anchored. All these values are under assault and therefore, our collective and determined resolve to fight this election," he added.
Justice Reddy, who served as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court before being elevated to the Supreme Court in 2008, 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.