New Delhi: The opposition INDIA bloc on Tuesday announced former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy, 79, as its vice-presidential candidate against the ruling NDA's CP Radhakrishnan. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced the decision in the presence of the leaders of allies, projecting it as an "ideological" fight .
Making it a 'south versus south' contest, the opposition has fielded a candidate from Telangana who, unlike Radhakrishnan, is a non-politician with a legal background. He emerged as a compromise choice for the INDIA bloc in its search for a mascot in what is seen as a token contest, with the ruling side comfortably placed to win.
Sudershan practised law before becoming a HC judge in 1993, later serving as Gauhati chief justice and then a SC judge. After retirement, he briefly served as Goa Lokayukta under the Parrikar government and was seen as sympathetic to the Telangana statehood movement.
"B Sudershan Reddy is one of India's most distinguished and progressive jurists. He has had a long and eminent legal career. He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice. This VP contest is an ideological battle, and all the opposition parties agreed on Reddy as the joint candidate," said Kharge. People familiar with the matter said DMK leader MK Stalin's proposal for making Tamil scientist M Annadurai the opposition candidate got stuck because Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee conveyed her suggestions - that the opposition candidate should be a non-politician, preferably a retired
judge.
Making it a 'south versus south' contest, the opposition has fielded a candidate from Telangana who, unlike Radhakrishnan, is a non-politician with a legal background. He emerged as a compromise choice for the INDIA bloc in its search for a mascot in what is seen as a token contest, with the ruling side comfortably placed to win.
Sudershan practised law before becoming a HC judge in 1993, later serving as Gauhati chief justice and then a SC judge. After retirement, he briefly served as Goa Lokayukta under the Parrikar government and was seen as sympathetic to the Telangana statehood movement.
"B Sudershan Reddy is one of India's most distinguished and progressive jurists. He has had a long and eminent legal career. He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice. This VP contest is an ideological battle, and all the opposition parties agreed on Reddy as the joint candidate," said Kharge. People familiar with the matter said DMK leader MK Stalin's proposal for making Tamil scientist M Annadurai the opposition candidate got stuck because Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee conveyed her suggestions - that the opposition candidate should be a non-politician, preferably a retired
judge.
