Guwahati: The I.N.D.I.A. bloc on Tuesday picked former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudarshan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, scheduled for September 9.
Leaders from the bloc finalized the decision during a meeting held at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence in New Delhi.
Kharge formally announced Justice Reddy’s nomination as the Opposition’s contender who will face CP Radhakrishnan, the ruling NDA’s nominee and current Maharashtra Governor.
Radhakrishnan, a senior BJP leader from Tamil Nadu, was named the NDA candidate last week.
Although the BJP-led NDA holds a clear majority in the electoral college, comprising members of both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, the Opposition bloc decided to field its own candidate to ensure a contested election.
The Election Commission has scheduled the Vice Presidential election for September 9, with August 21 set as the deadline for filing nominations. The seat became vacant following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation on July 21, citing health-related issues.
Justice Sudarshan Reddy’s candidature introduces a judicial figure into the political fray, signaling the INDIA bloc’s strategy to broaden its appeal ahead of a high-stakes vote in Parliament.