Oppn unites behind former-SC judge B S Reddy for VP election

KHARGE CALLS IT AN 'IDEOLOGICAL BATTLE'

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

NEW DELHI: The Opposition parties on Tuesday declared former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as their joint candidate for the upcoming vice-presidential election, scheduled for September 9. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made the announcement in New Delhi, calling the contest an "ideological battle" for the future of the Constitution and democracy.

Reddy, who arrived in the national capital in the evening, was received at the airport by opposition lawmakers. He later met leaders from several parties before heading into a series of consultations. The 78-year-old jurist will file his nomination papers on August 21.

A meeting of the joint Opposition is set to take place in the central hall of Samvidhan Sadan (old Parliament building) on Wednesday, where floor coordination strategies will be discussed.

"All opposition parties have decided to support a common candidate. The decision was taken unanimously, and I am happy that everyone has rallied around one name," Kharge told reporters while reading from a joint statement of the INDIA bloc. "Whenever democracy and the Constitution are under attack, opposition parties unite. That is why we have chosen a candidate who has always defended justice and constitutional values."

Justice Reddy's professional journey began in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, where he practiced civil and constitutional law. Appointed as a government pleader in 1988, he later served as Additional Standing Counsel for the Centre. In 1993, he became President of the Andhra Pradesh High Court Advocates Association and was legal advisor to Osmania University.