V-P Fight Gets Personal: Radhakrishnan's RSS Credentials Vs Reddy's Salwa Judum Verdict
BJP has picked CV Radhakrishnan as their nominee, while INDIA bloc nominee is ex-Justice B Sudershan Reddy
The election campaign for the Vice-Presidential (V-P) post is set to get personal.
While the opposition is pointing to 'Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) credentials" of CV Radhakrishnan as their main card, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pointing to INDIA nominee ex-Justice B. Sudershan Reddy's 2011 judgment against Salwa Judum to question his nationalistic credentials.
Radhakrishnan has been an old RSS hand and this is what has been cited by the opposition to put up a candidate against him. The BJP is now hitting back with party sources saying INDIA nominee Reddy gave a judgment in the Supreme Court in 2011 that severely weakened India's fight against left-wing extremism.
Participated in the NDA Parliamentary Party Meeting in Delhi this morning. Happy to see the enthusiasm in favour of Thiru CP Radhakrishnan's candidature for the Vice Presidency. @CPRGuv pic.twitter.com/87Gkwr2pLO — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 19, 2025
The SC bench comprising Reddy had struck down Salwa Judum, a key anti-Naxal initiative of the Chhattisgarh government. BJP sources say this verdict was seen as a setback to India's anti-Naxal fight, coming at the height of Maoist violence. Raman Singh, the then Chhattisgarh CM, had come up with the idea of Salwa Judum – a private militia of tribal youth who were armed to take on Naxals.
'This election is not just about a constitutional post — it is about whether India's highest offices will reflect the national resolve against violent extremism… the Opposition has chosen a nominee whose judicial legacy raised questions of weakness towards forces aligned with Maoists," a top BJP source said. The Modi government has fixed a target of 2026 to eliminate Naxalism from the country.
A Congress source however said this was a desperate attempt by the BJP to malign their nominee for his past bonafide judicial duties.
This Vice Presidential contest is an ideological battle.All Opposition parties have nominated Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu as their joint candidate for the position of the Vice President of India.
Shri B. Sudershan Reddy garu is one of India's most distinguished and… pic.twitter.com/FD98YJhJMA
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 19, 2025
TDP backs NDA nominee
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) has meanwhile reiterated its support to Radhakrishnan as Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh put out a statement to this effect on Tuesday, a day after senior TDP leaders Rammohan Naidu and Lavu Krishna were present in the NDA meeting that backed Radhakrishnan's candidature. BJP sources said Reddy belongs to Telangana and not Andhra Pradesh, so TDP's stand need not be raked up by the opposition. In fact, even the YSRCP will be backing Radhakrishnan.
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy (Congress), meanwhile, said that as Reddy belongs to Telangana, all parties should extend support him. 'I appeal CM Chandrababu Naidu, KCR, YS Jagan, Pawan Kalyan, Asaduddin Owaisi to support Justice Sudershan Reddy," Revanth Reddy said. The numbers in Parliament meanwhile are stacked in favour of the NDA nominee.
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First Published:
August 19, 2025, 18:44 IST
News politics V-P Fight Gets Personal: Radhakrishnan's RSS Credentials Vs Reddy's Salwa Judum Verdict
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