INDIA bloc Vice-Presidential candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy (retired) said on Tuesday that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav played “a big role” in his nomination and that he has imbibed the principles of both socialist icon Ram Manohar Lohia and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The former Supreme Court judge, who arrived in Lucknow to seek support of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Uttar Pradesh, said the post is not “political” and they should support his candidature based on “merits” keeping in mind the “high constitutional post”.
Later, he visited the offices of both parties where he interacted with their MPs and MLAs and later at a joint lunch.
He first went to the Congress’ state headquarters, where he met four of the six party MPs from the state and senior party leaders led by state president Ajay Rai. SP state president Shyam Lal Pal also joined them and then accompanied the Vice-Presidential nominee and Congress leaders to the SP office, where Justice Reddy met Akhilesh Yadav.
Calling it a “fight for justice”, Akhilesh urged the MPs to support Reddy in the Vice-President’s election while listening to “inner voice or conscience”. “It is not about winning or losing but about principles. Who can be a better candidate than Justice Reddy in our fight for justice?” he maintained.
Justice Reddy said, “I have come here to solicit the support of honorable members of Parliament from Uttar Pradesh. I believe that the office of Vice-President of India, which is only next to the President’s, is not political. It is a high constitutional office.”
He pointed out how he learned from both Lohia and “Netaji” (Mulayam Singh Yadav) though he is yet to learn to give a fluent speech in Hindi.
“It would not have been possible but for my friend Mr Akhilesh Yadav. Main khade hoke jo aapke samne baat kar rah hun, uske pichhe unka bahut bada role hai (The fact that I am standing here before you, he has a big role to play),” said Reddy.
Holding a copy of the Constitution in his hand, he said, “My journey with the Constitution of India began in 1971, when I entered the Bar. These are the values for which I have stood and I assure the nation through you that I would continue to do so.”
Citing examples of his predecessors — educationist Zakir Hussain, former diplomats K R Narayanan and Hamid Ansari and those from the legal fraternity, he said they are his inspiration. “I appeal to members of all political parties to consider my candidature on its own merits.”
Akhilesh said, “The circumstances in which the elections are going to be held, the kind of fight for justice that we are undertaking, who can be a better option than a Justice Reddy. We are hopeful that all those who support justice would vote for our candidate while listening to their inner voice.”
Claiming the BJP wanted to paint a post like that of the vice-president with a particular ideology, the SP chief said, “It is not in the interest of the country and that is why we have fielded our candidate as it is not about victory or loss but about principles”.
“I am confident that if the MPs listened to their “conscience” then Justice Reddy would win with a historic mandate,” he added.
During the joint lunch hosted for Justice Reddy, every Samajwadi Party MP was introduced to the Vice-Presidential nominee individually, it is learnt.
