Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 19 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan on Tuesday said that the Vice Presidential election is a contest between the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a social justice supporter.
"He (B Sudershan Reddy) was not a politician, but a judge, who was for social justice. This is a fight between RSS and a social justice supporter. Naturally, it is a clash of policies. CP Radhakrishnan says he was in the RSS from his early years. How can we support him? It is an ideological war," Elangovan told ANI.
He further stated that Maharashtra Governor and NDA Vice Presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan should have fought for Tamils since the state was being deprived of funds by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for which the latter works.
"BJP is insulting Tamil Nadu and its people. They are not giving money to the state. They aim to hinder Tamil Nadu's development. CP Radhakrishnan should have fought for the Tamils. He didn't do that. He works for the BJP, which is against Tamil Nadu, so how can he expect us to vote for him?" Elangovan said.
Retired Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy today expressed gratitude towards the INDIA bloc for projecting him as the Vice Presidential candidate while appealing to all the 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.