All opposition parties, including AAP, back joint VP candidate, confirms TMC’s Derek O’Brien

TMC’s Derek O’Brien says all opposition parties, including AAP, support joint VP candidate

All opposition parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), are on board in supporting the Opposition’s joint candidate for the Vice-Presidential polls, announced TMC MP Derek O’Brien on Tuesday.

The TMC leader's announcement came during Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's address to the press, announcing former Supreme Court judge and Goa’s first Lokayukta, B Sudhershan Reddy, as the Opposition’s consensus candidate.

#WATCH | INDIA alliance names former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the Vice President of India post

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "He will nomination on August 21. Tomorrow, all opposition parties' MPs are meeting in the central hall… pic.twitter.com/Bf9AimasPx — ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2025

Praising Reddy as one of India’s “most distinguished and progressive jurists,” Kharge described the contest as an ideological battle and highlighted the significance of a united Opposition.

To be noted here, the AAP had, on July 18, announced that it would be distancing itself from the INDIA bloc.

The Kejriwal-led party had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Delhi and Haryana in alliance with Congress; however, it faced setbacks in recent state polls.

Particularly, AAP’s performance in the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections was particularly disappointing, with the party winning only 22 out of 70 seats, and key leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, losing their constituencies.

The results further dented the party’s morale, slowing its expansion beyond Delhi and Punjab.

Nevertheless, despite the hiccups, AAP’s support for Justice Reddy hints at the Opposition’s united stance in the Upper House.

Not just this.

On Monday, the AAP too ramped up its criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the BJP-led central government, alleging irregularities in the electoral process ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections.

Despite its official departure from the INDIA bloc last month, it has been voicing support for the Congress' claims of “vote chori” or vote theft.

In fact, even the Kejriwal-led party has released a series of videos on its official social media platforms, accusing the poll panel of being “bent on murdering democracy.”

AAP has linked these allegations to the ongoing voter list revision in Bihar, further intensifying the debate over electoral transparency following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the 2025 Delhi Assembly polls.

The Election Commission has, meanwhile, announced that polling for the Vice Presidential election will take place on September 9, with counting scheduled the same day. Candidates can file nominations until August 21, and the last date for withdrawal is August 25.

The post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, citing health reasons.

The Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising members of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, following constitutional provisions under Articles 64 and 68. The election is conducted under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, using a system of proportional representation via a single transferable vote and a secret ballot.