Former SC judge Sudershan Reddy named common opposition VP candidate
– All opposition parties take unanimous decision
NEW DELHI : Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, a former judge of the Supreme Court of India, will be the Opposition’s unanimous Vice-Presidential candidate for the September 9 elections.
The announcement was made today by the Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in the presence of leaders from various opposition parties. Earlier in the day, leaders from Opposition parties, including Sharad Pawar, Sanjay Raut, KC Venugopal, Jairam Ramesh, Derek O’ Brien, Kanimozhi, Tiruchi Siva, John Brittas, Dharmendra Yadav, Pramod Tiwari, Rajani Patil and Arvind Sawant, met and unanimously agreed on the candidature of Justice Reddy. Aam Aadmi Party is also on board with the decision.
Kharge said that Justice 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 Guwahati High Court and Judge of the Supreme Court, he said, adding, he has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice.
The Congress president noted “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, we must come together with collective and determined resolve to fight this election, Kharge asserted. He informed that Justice Reddy will file his nomination on August 21.
