Opposition vice-presidential candidate B Sudershan Reddy on Saturday spoke about his opponent and NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan, and said the upcoming polls were "a contest of two different ideologies".
Talking about Radhakrishnan, Reddy called him a "quintessential RSS man", adding he did not subscribe to that ideology.
"This is certainly not just about a contest between me and Radhakrishnan Ji. It is a contest of representing two different ideologies - one which the other side is propagating that here's a quintessential RSS man. So far as I'm concerned, I do not subscribe to that ideology... I'm essentially a liberal, constitutional, democratic," Reddy told news agency PTI.
When asked about which of the Opposition parties proposed his nomination for the post of Vice President, Reddy said, "The first move in this regard came from INDIA alliance. But, if it is about the party then it was Congress who made the first move. When I got the proposal, I said if INDIA alliance consider me then only I can contest.”
{{/usCountry}}When asked about which of the Opposition parties proposed his nomination for the post of Vice President, Reddy said, "The first move in this regard came from INDIA alliance. But, if it is about the party then it was Congress who made the first move. When I got the proposal, I said if INDIA alliance consider me then only I can contest.”
{{/usCountry}}Further in his interview with the news agency, Reddy also claimed while India still is a constitutional democracy, it is under strain. "Earlier, we used to talk about deficit economy. But, there is a ‘deficited democracy’. I do not say that, India is no more a democratic country… We are still a Constitutional Democracy but under strain circumstances” he said.
Reddy was nominated for the post of Vice President by the Opposition after the NDA named CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the polls.
While 68-year-old Radhakrishnan began his public life as an RSS worker and has served as Governor of Jharkhand, Maharashtra, with an additional charge of Telangana earlier, 79-year-old Reddy is a former Supreme Court judge from Telangana who retired in 2011.
The Vice President's chair fell vacant last month as Jagdeep Dhankhar announced his resignation citing health reasons. After he stepped down, VP elections were announced, which are set to take place on September 9.