The opposition alliance has named former Supreme Court judge Justice B. Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the upcoming Vice Presidential election. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge announced the decision after a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at 10 Rajaji Marg, where all parties unanimously agreed on his candidature. Justice Reddy will file his nomination on August 21.
Kharge praised Justice Reddy as one of India’s most progressive jurists, highlighting his long career as judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court, and later as a Supreme Court judge. He noted that Justice Reddy has consistently stood for social, economic, and political justice, protecting the Constitution and fundamental rights while favoring the poor in several landmark judgments.
Justice Reddy will contest against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan, the Governor of Maharashtra and a veteran BJP leader from Tamil Nadu with an RSS background. After the opposition’s announcement, Radhakrishnan appealed to all parties for support. According to Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has also extended its support to Justice Reddy.
Born on July 8, 1946, in Akula Mylaram village of Ranga Reddy district, Andhra Pradesh, Justice Reddy comes from a farming family. He studied law at Osmania University, Hyderabad, graduating in 1971, and began his career the same year as an advocate, later joining the chamber of senior lawyer K. Pratap Reddy.
