Andhra, not Tamil Nadu: INDIA bloc throws a twist in Veep battle with NDA

Shortly after former Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy was announced as the INDIA bloc's Vice Presidential nominee, sources described the choice as a calculated response to the NDA's pick.

They said the decision to field a candidate of "great credibility outside the political sphere" was intended to make it harder for regional parties to oppose.

Sources argued that while the NDA's candidate, BJP veteran CP Radhakrishnan, came from the Sangh Parivar, the Opposition was putting forward "someone from the Supreme Court".

They also noted that the candidature was designed to meet every demand within the bloc - Reddy's southern roots fulfilling DMK's call for a nominee from the South, and his apolitical background aligning with the Trinamool Congress's pitch for a non-politician. With backing from the Aam Aadmi Party as well, the bloc projected his name as a "full Opposition candidate".

His nomination by the INDIA bloc also comes shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the Opposition to back NDA's pick CP Radhakrishnan.

Announcing the joint nominee, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge declared the election an "ideological battle," saying all Opposition parties were united because "democratic values are under attack".

Reddy, who retired from the Supreme Court in 2011 after serving as Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court and earlier as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court, carries the legal credentials the bloc believes strengthen its case. Kharge hailed him as "a champion of social and political justice."

Speaking to India Today TV, Reddy appealed across party lines. "I appeal to all parties, including NDA, to support me," he said, expressing confidence that as the Opposition's candidate he represented "60% of India."

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