‘Don't know what cross-voting is…’: INDIA bloc’s nominee Sudershan Reddy as VP polls underway

B Sudershan Reddy

Opposition vice-presidental candidate B Sudershan Reddy on Tuesday expressed optimism over winning the V-P election -- the voting for which commenced this morning in Parliament house. "I am more than hopeful that I am going to win this election," Reddy said.

He also thanked the leaders of the opposition parties for placing trust in him for the second-highest constitutional office in the country.

Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge faces NDA nominee and Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan in the V-P polls – voting for which is currently underway. The polling began at 10 am and will continue till 5 pm, with the counting of votes to take place from 6 pm onwards.

Both the sides are on alert for cross-voting, which has also been seen a number of times in the past. For instance, in 2022, several opposition MPs voted for BJP’s pick Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Reddy, however, dismissed any hopes of cross-voting, saying that he is only trying to “awaken people’s conscience”.

"I am very confident. We are going to win. I am only trying to awaken people's conscience. I did not say that there would be cross-voting. I don't know what cross-voting is," he said.

Reddy also stated that he would continue to fight for the Constitution regardless of the result.

"This is a fight for (the Constitution), it will continue. My journey has begun with the Constitution," he said.

Voting is currently underway for the position of Vice-President, which was necessitated by the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar, citing health reasons.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote. Apart from him, several other leaders including Congress party’s Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, union ministers Pralhad Joshi and Nitin Gandkari, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, have also cast their votes.