Congress-led INDIA bloc’s Vice Presidential candidate, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, urged Members of Parliament to treat the upcoming September 9 vote as a choice for “the spirit of India itself.”
Reddy emphasized that there is no party whip in the VP election, allowing MPs to vote independently. “Democracy thrives on cooperation, not confrontation. My strength lies in listening, mediating, and building consensus,” he said in a message to lawmakers.
He framed his candidature as a collective effort to protect India’s democratic fabric, warning that “democratic space in the country is shrinking.”
The election will also decide the next Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha. Despite the NDA holding a clear majority — making CP Radhakrishnan the likely winner — the INDIA bloc’s nominee aims to send a strong message of Opposition unity.
The new Vice President will serve a full five-year term following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation, which has sparked speculation beyond the cited health reasons.
