VP polls: Opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy confident of cross-party support

Guwahati, September 6: Former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy who is the opposition-backed candidate for the Vice President’s post, has expressed confidence in getting support from everyone and winning the election.

If elected, he said that he will uphold the Constitution’s principles and ensure that the office is exercised with fairness, impartiality, and the highest standards of integrity, much like a “judicial role”.

In an interview with The Assam Tribune, Reddy said, “If elected, I will take concrete steps to uphold the Constitution’s values, morality, and conventions.”

Reddy, the former Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, was in Guwahati on Friday ahead of the September 9 election.

“I am 100 per cent confident. I hope and trust that all the informed MPs would seriously think about the importance of the Vice President’s post. I am sure that they will exercise their franchise in my favour,” he said.

On the numerical disadvantage faced by the opposition, Reddy highlighted cross-party support. “Although I am sponsored by the INDIA bloc, even AAP, which is not part of the alliance, has extended support after my candidature was announced. Several other parties and independent MPs have also expressed willingness to back me,” he said.

Reddy has also reached out to leaders in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. “I expect substantial support from both Telugu states, not because of language, but because people know my work and dedication,” he added.

Addressing perceptions of a “South vs South” contest against NDA candidate CP Radhakrishnan who hails from Tamil Nadu, Reddy dismissing the notion and said, “It is not about any part of the country. It is an unsustainable proposition.”

He added that both candidates are citizens of India, and this election should focus on qualifications and commitment, “not geography”.

Asked whether the election could turn into a battle of ideologies, he said, “I have unwavering faith in the Constitution and identify as a liberal constituent democrat. While I am not affiliated with any political party, I am not non-political. The Constitution itself is a political, social, and economic document, and my approach is rooted in its principles.”

The current electoral college, excluding the vacancies, has 782 members. This means that the winning side needs to have at least 392 votes.

The NDA has 293 seats in Lok Sabha and 133 in Rajya Sabha. Going by the numbers, the BJP will comfortably put Radhakrishnan in the Vice President’s post. Only if a group of NDA members rebel and vote for the opposition pick can the tables turn.

The support of the political parties like N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP, Jagan Mohan Reddy-led YSRCP and K Chandrashekar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samithi who are from Reddy’s home State will be crucial.

Meanwhile, Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi said that Reddy on Friday interacted with members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha as part of his outreach.

During the interaction, opposition MPs from Manipur, Assam, and Nagaland were present.