The Opposition’s INDIA bloc has unanimously chosen former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced on Tuesday. Reddy is set to file his nomination on August 21.

In his first statement after the nomination, Reddy emphasized the constitutional importance of the role, saying, “The aim is to uphold the Constitution. I will appeal to all political parties to support me. The responsibility of the Vice President is the same as that of a Supreme Court judge.”

Who is B Sudershan Reddy?

Born on July 8, 1946, Justice Reddy has had a distinguished legal career spanning several decades. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh in December 1971 and quickly rose through the ranks in the Andhra Pradesh High Court, specializing in writ and civil matters.

Between 1988 and 1990, Reddy served as Government Pleader, representing the state in key cases, before taking on the role of Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government in 1990. He also advised Osmania University as its Legal Adviser and Standing Counsel, adding to his vast legal experience.

Reddy began his judicial career in 1995 when he was appointed as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court. He was later elevated as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in December 2005, and in January 2007, he took oath as a Supreme Court judge. Justice Reddy retired in July 2011.

Highlighting the unity among Opposition parties, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, “This is an ideological fight. The Opposition has chosen a candidate who respects the Constitution. Just because BJP’s candidate is from Tamil Nadu doesn’t mean they care about Tamil Nadu, its language, or values.”

NDA’s Candidate: C P Radhakrishnan

The BJP-led NDA has nominated C P Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra, as its Vice Presidential candidate. Radhakrishnan arrived in New Delhi on Monday and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who praised his “long years of public service and experience across domains” and extended his best wishes.

PM Modi has urged the Opposition to support Radhakrishnan, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has reached out to regional parties such as DMK, BJD, TMC, and YSRCP for wider backing.