NDA nominee Radhakrishnan felicitated at meeting, PM says he
‘does not play games in politics’
NEW DELHI, Aug 19: Former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy is the joint candidate of the Opposition parties for the Vice-Presidential polls, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge announced on Tuesday, as he called the upcoming election for the country’s second-highest office an “ideological battle”.
Reddy is a former judge of the Supreme Court and the first Lokayukta of Goa. He is also on the Board of Trustees of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Hyderabad.
Reddy would arrive in the national capital on Tuesday evening and meet with various Opposition leaders.
He will file his nomination on August 21.
The joint opposition would hold a meeting in the central hall of Samvidhan Sadan (old Parliament building) on Wednesday afternoon.
“All Opposition parties have decided to have a common candidate; the decision has been taken unanimously. I am happy that all opposition parties have agreed on one name. It is a big achievement for democracy,” Kharge said.
“Whenever democracy and the Constitution are under attack, Opposition parties unite to fight against it. So we have decided to field a good candidate in this election,” he said.
Reading out a joint statement of the Opposition parties, Kharge, who is the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, said Reddy 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 Gauhati High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court.
He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice,” he said.
“This Vice-Presidential contest is an ideological battle. The Opposition parties have nominated Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu as their joint candidate since 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,” Kharge said, reading out the joint statement.
“He is a pro-poor man, and in many of his judgments… he favoured the poor people and also protected the Constitution and fundamental rights,” the Congress chief flanked by various opposition leaders including NCP-SP leader Sharad Pawa, CPI-M’s M A Baby, TMC’s Derek O’Brien, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva and SP’s Dharmendra Yadav said.
He stressed that the vice presidential contest is “an ideological battle” and that’s why all the opposition parties are contesting unitedly.
Talking about Reddy, the Congress chief said, “He reflects fully the values that saved 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 it is our collective and determined resolve to fight this election,” he said.
PM MODI LAUDS NDA CANDIDATE
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lauded Maharashtra Governor and NDA’s vice presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan for his simple lifestyle and dedication to public service in various capacities, and said he might have a lot of interest in sports but does not play games in politics, sources said.
Addressing an NDA parliamentary party meeting where Radhakrishnan was felicitated, Modi recalled his almost four-decade-long association with the former Tamil Nadu BJP president, who was an RSS functionary like him before moving to the Jana Sangh and then the BJP, and said they have known each other since they sported black hair and praised his work in different capacities.
In a reference to Radhakrishnan’s background as a keen sportsperson, Modi said he has a lot of interests in sports but does not play games in politics, according to sources.
His comments reminded some MPs of Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as Vice President suddenly on July 21 amid indications that his souring ties with the ruling party might have pushed him to quit.The NDA candidate is likely to file his nomination on Wednesday. (PTI)