INDIA bloc's Vice-Presidential candidate former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy(L), Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy
Credit: PTI Photos
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday appealed to all parties in the Telugu states to vote for the I.N.D.I.A. alliance's Vice President candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy, calling it a historic opportunity for a Telugu leader to occupy the highest office after Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao.
Speaking to reporters at his Jubilee Hills residence on Tuesday, Revanth Reddy made a direct appeal to TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Jana Sena supremo Pawan Kalyan, BRS chief K Chandrasekhara Rao, YSRCP supremo YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, urging them to ensure their MPs vote for Sudershan Reddy. Notably, TDP and Jana Sena are BJP allies. In Telangana, BJP has eight Lok Sabha members.
"On one side is the NDA alliance that has made a mockery of democracy by engaging in vote theft. On the other side is the I.N.D.I.A. alliance that is fighting to protect the Constitution with Mahatma's spirit," Revanth Reddy said.
"It is a matter of pride that Justice Sudershan Reddy, a son of Telangana born into a farming family, has been declared as a candidate transcending politics. The responsibility of ensuring his victory lies with every Telugu person. After PV Narasimha Rao, announcing a Telugu person as Vice Presidential candidate at this level is a matter of pride. This is a time when we must unite beyond politics. All the 60 MPs from Telugu states should vote for Sudershan Reddy," he said.
Revanth Reddy stressed that Justice Sudershan Reddy is not affiliated with the Congress Party, describing him as "a legal expert proposed by the I.N.D.I.A. alliance" with no connection to any political party.
Drawing a historical parallel, he recalled "In 1991, when PV Narasimha Rao was in the Prime Ministerial race and contested as Nandyal MP, NTR supported him without fielding a candidate against him, displaying political wisdom. Today, when an opportunity has come for a Telugu person to become Vice President, political parties should display similar wisdom. We should all unite and protect democracy."
The Chief Minister also reminded that Sudershan Reddy had headed an independent expert committee to study the Backward Classes survey report, which formed the basis for the Telangana government's decision to provide 42% reservations to BCs.
However BJP was not convinced with Reddy's appeal. The state BJP slammed the chief minister, calling it hollow claims of “doing justice” to Backward Classes (BCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The party said the CM’s duplicity stands exposed after he openly welcomed the I.N.D.I.A. bloc’s Vice-Presidential nominee, Justice Sudershan Reddy, against the NDA’s OBC candidate, Radhakrishnan.
“If this is not hypocrisy, then what else is?” asked state BJP Chief Spokesperson N V Subash. He questioned the Congress claim that its Vice-Presidential candidate would ensure justice for BCs, describing it as yet another “carrot-and-stick policy” of a party that has consistently betrayed BC and OBC communities both at the Centre and in Telangana.
Subash reminded that it was the BJP which has always walked the talk on empowering BCs and OBCs, unlike the Congress which once refused to even accept the Mandal Commission report. “People are not naïve. They know Congress’ track record. It has done nothing to uplift BCs or OBCs and is now trying to mislead the public with false claims,” he said.
He further ridiculed Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s claim that nominating Sudershan Reddy was an act of justice to BCs, calling it both misleading and laughable.
“The people of Telangana can clearly see through this farce. Congress and its allies have no moral authority to speak about justice to BCs and OBCs. Their hypocrisy is out in the open,” Subash said.