Reddy reaching out to Lalu, a graft convict, exposes hypocrisy: BJP

NEW DELHI: A day ahead of the vice-presidential election, BJP on Monday hit out at opposition nominee B Sudershan Reddy for meeting RJD president Lalu Prasad, claiming that reaching out to a politician convicted in corruption cases has exposed Reddy's hypocrisy.Taking a swipe at Reddy, who had sought votes for "saving the soul of the nation", senior BJP neta Ravi Shankar Prasad said Reddy has acted below the dignity expected of a retired Supreme Court judge by meeting Lalu whose party RJD has backed his candidature. Reddy had called on Lalu at the latter's Patna residence on Sept 4. Lalu had shared pictures of the meeting on his social media accounts."What kind of a retired SC judge you are. Lalu Prasad is not even a voter in the election. Please do not talk of saving souls... This is hypocrisy in the extreme. We condemn his conduct," Prasad said at a presser. "Reddy talks of saving the soul of India and is meeting someone not only convicted in fodder scam but also facing more corruption charges, including offering jobs in the railways in lieu of bribes," Prasad said.BJP IT department head Amit Malviya said Reddy's meeting with fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad isn't just terrible optics, it's a shocking statement on probity in public life by someone aspiring for a high constitutional office.