Who is B Sudershan Reddy, INDIA bloc's VP pick against NDA's CP Radhakrishnan?

The Opposition INDIA bloc has picked former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for Vice President, setting up a contest with the NDA's nominee, CP Radhakrishnan.

Reddy's nomination comes even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi called on Opposition parties to support the ruling alliance's pick. The Vice Presidential election is shaping up to be a high-profile political battle, reflecting deepening rifts between the government and the Opposition.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge confirmed the nomination plans. "He will file nomination on August 21. Tomorrow, all opposition parties' MPs are meeting in the central hall at 1 o'clock," Kharge said.

TMC MP Derek O'Brien said that all opposition parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party, were on board.

Kharge said, "This vice-presidential contest is an ideological battle, and all the opposition parties agreed on this, and this is the reason we have nominated B Sudershan Reddy as the joint candidate."

Who is B. Sudershan Reddy? 

Reddy was born on July 8, 1946. He obtained his B.A. and LL.B. degrees before enrolling as an advocate at Hyderabad with the Bar Council of Andhra Pradesh on December 27, 1971.

He practiced primarily in writ and civil matters at the Andhra Pradesh High Court and served in various legal roles during his career. From 1988 to 1990, Reddy worked as Government Pleader in the High Court. In 1990, he was appointed as Additional Standing Counsel for the Central Government for six months.

He also served as Legal Adviser and Standing Counsel for Osmania University. On May 2, 1995, he was appointed as a permanent judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Reddy was elevated as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on December 5, 2005, and later appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of India on January 12, 2007. He retired from the apex court on July 8, 2011.

CP Radhakrishnan, a senior BJP leader and former Governor of Jharkhand, is the NDA's choice for the Vice President's post. Prime Minister Modi urged Opposition support for Radhakrishnan's candidature, highlighting his long political service. However, the INDIA bloc chose to contest, signaling its intent to challenge the NDA across key institutional appointments.

The Vice President of India also serves as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, making the role critical in legislative coordination and floor management.