Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge emphasized that the recent vice presidential election was a significant ideological battle, underscoring the need to protect democracy and the Constitution.
New Delhi: In the wake of the recent vice presidential election, where Opposition candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy was defeated by NDA’s CP Radhakrishnan, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge extended his congratulations to Radhakrishnan while highlighting the deeper significance of the election.
Kharge described the contest as more than just a political race, framing it as a battle of ideologies. He asserted that it is crucial to check governments with authoritarian tendencies to safeguard the Constitution and democracy. In a post on X, Kharge stated, “Best wishes to CP Radhakrishnan on securing victory in the Vice Presidential election. We extend our sincere gratitude to B. Sudershan Reddy garu, the united Opposition’s joint candidate, for his spirited and principled fight. This was more than an election; it was a battle of ideology, reaffirming that governments with authoritarian tendencies must be checked to protect our Constitution and Democracy.”
Kharge expressed hope that the newly elected Vice President would uphold the highest standards of parliamentary traditions, ensuring that the Opposition is afforded equal space and dignity, and would resist any pressures from the ruling government.
He emphasized the importance of revitalizing the Vice Presidency, which he described as the second highest Constitutional office, to reflect independence, fairness, and strength in upholding democratic values. “The Vice President must safeguard democratic values,” he remarked, underscoring the need for the office to be a bastion of impartiality.
Kharge also reminded observers of the circumstances that led to this election, noting that the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21 was sudden and unceremonious, leaving many questions unanswered. “As we move forward, transparency, accountability, and respect for Constitutional positions must guide our institutions in letter and spirit,” he stated.
Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, the joint candidate of the Opposition, garnered 300 votes, while Radhakrishnan received 452 votes in the election. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh echoed Kharge’s sentiments in a post on X, stating, “The Opposition stood united for the Vice Presidential election.”
Ramesh highlighted the performance of the Opposition candidate, noting that Reddy’s achievement of securing 40 percent of the vote was a significant improvement compared to the 26 percent received by the Opposition in the 2022 Vice Presidential elections. “The BJP’s arithmetical victory is really both a moral and political defeat. The ideological battle continues undiminished,” he added.
On the day of the election, which took place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., prominent leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi cast their votes.
The election for the vice presidential post was necessitated following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s unexpected resignation, which he attributed to medical reasons.
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