Akhilesh Yadav Backs Reddy in Vice-Presidential Contest

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday offered his support to B. Sudershan Reddy, the Vice-Presidential nominee of the Opposition INDIA bloc, during a meeting in Lucknow. Reddy, previously a Supreme Court judge, was met with enthusiastic support upon his arrival at the airport earlier in the day.

On August 21, Reddy formally submitted his nomination for the Vice-President role, describing this opportunity as a profound honor. He promised to uphold impartiality and the constitutional values of India if elected. The submission was made in the presence of senior Congress figures, including Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi, highlighting significant opposition backing.

The Vice-Presidential election, scheduled for September 9, pits Reddy against NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan. Reddy articulated that this electoral contest is a clash of ideologies rather than personal rivalry, expressing disagreement with the opposition's ideological stance but maintaining that his differences with Radhakrishnan were not personal.

(With inputs from agencies.)