The announcement came just two days after the ruling BJP-led NDA declared Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its nominee.
The Opposition INDIA bloc has announced former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming vice presidential election. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said the decision was unanimous and called it "a big moment for democracy."
Kharge added, “We all know how he stood for the poor and protected the Constitution. This is an ideological battle, and all Opposition parties agreed, that’s why we are contesting the election.”
The announcement came just two days after the ruling BJP-led NDA declared Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its nominee.
B Sudarshan Reddy began his judicial career as a judge in the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1995. He later served as the Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in 2005.
In 2007, he was elevated to the Supreme Court of India, where he served until his retirement in 2011.
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Reddy served as an anti-corruption monitor after being elected as Goa's first Lokayukta in 2013. His lengthy legal background and standing as a pro-people judge are seen as important contributing elements to his nomination.
The current Maharashtra governor, CP Radhakrishnan, has been put forward by the BJP. In addition, he has held the positions of Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and Governor of Telangana and Jharkhand.
Radhakrishnan is a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu. He was the party’s state president from 2004 to 2007 and a Lok Sabha MP from Coimbatore between 1998 and 2004. He has been closely associated with the RSS, the ideological parent of the BJP.
BJP chief JP Nadda had said that he hoped Radhakrishnan would be elected unopposed. However, the Opposition’s move has ensured a contest.
The election for the post of Vice President of India will take place on September 9. The result will be declared the same day.
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The election was necessitated after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, citing health reasons. Dhankhar had taken office on August 11, 2022, and his term was supposed to end in 2027.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had wished Dhankhar good health and praised his contributions. But some Opposition leaders hinted at “deeper reasons” behind the sudden resignation.
The vice president is chosen by an electoral college made up of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha members, including nominated MPs. State legislators do not vote in this election.
For this year’s poll, the electoral college includes 12 nominated members and 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha, along with 543 Lok Sabha MPs. Voting will be conducted in Parliament through a secret ballot.
The elected vice president will also serve as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
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