In a dramatic turn in the Vice Presidential race, the Opposition has put forward an unexpected and powerful candidate — former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy. The announcement was made on Tuesday by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who declared that the INDIA bloc had unanimously decided to field Reddy as their joint nominee.
Kharge described the upcoming Vice Presidential election as more than a political contest, calling it “an ideological battle to safeguard democracy and the Constitution.” He stressed that the decision was taken with full consensus among all INDIA bloc parties. “I am happy that all Opposition parties agreed on one name. This is a major achievement for democracy. Whenever there is an attack on democracy or the Constitution, the Opposition will unite and fight back,” Kharge said.
Who is B. Sudarshan Reddy?
Justice Reddy is a distinguished former judge of the Supreme Court of India and also served as the first Lokayukta of Goa. He is currently a trustee board member of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad. Widely respected for his integrity and judicial acumen, he retired from the Supreme Court on 21 August 2011.
Opposition’s Strategy
By fielding Reddy, the INDIA bloc aims to strengthen its moral and constitutional appeal ahead of the polls. Opposition leaders see his candidature as a symbolic fight against what they term the erosion of democratic values in recent years. Kharge underlined that this election would send a message that the Opposition remains united: “This is not just about choosing a Vice President, but about protecting the spirit of democracy. That is why we decided to bring such a strong and credible candidate into the field.”
Discussion about this post