Hyderabad: The INDIA bloc formally introduced its Vice President candidate, Justice Sudarshan Reddy, at an event held at Taj Krishna Hotel in Hyderabad on Monday. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, state ministers, and alliance leaders attended the program.
Revanth questions NDA’s candidate exit
Speaking on the occasion, Revanth Reddy expressed surprise that NDA Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned before completing his term. He said the introduction program was organised to felicitate Sudarshan Reddy, calling on all Telugu leaders to unite in support of his candidature.
Telugu leaders’ national role recalled
The Chief Minister recalled the contributions of Telugu leaders such as Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, V. V. Giri, P. V. Narasimha Rao, Jaipal Reddy, Venkaiah Naidu, and N. T. Rama Rao in national politics. He lamented that Telugu leaders no longer held such significant roles at the national level.
He said Sudarshan Reddy respected the spirit of the INDIA bloc and had entered the contest to ensure strong competition to the NDA. The bloc, he noted, stood for protecting the Constitution, reservations, and democracy, while the NDA aimed to alter the Constitution and weaken reservations.
Call for united Telugu support
Revanth urged leaders of all parties in Telugu states including Chandrababu Naidu, Pawan Kalyan, Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, K. Chandrashekar Rao, and Asaduddin Owaisi as well as 42 MPs and 18 Rajya Sabha members from the two states, to vote according to their conscience.
He praised Justice Sudarshan Reddy’s long record of service under constitutional values, stressing that he had no political agenda or flag. Responding to criticism that Reddy had been called a “Naxalite” by a national leader, Revanth said Naxalism was a philosophy that could be debated, but “finishing it off” was unacceptable.
