Former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy — the joint candidate of the Opposition parties — filed his nomination papers for the for the vice-presidential election on Thursday, August 21, 2025.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge later tweeted: ‘As the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, the Vice President is tasked with upholding the highest traditions of Parliamentary Democracy. The candidature of Shri B Sudarshen Reddy garu is a message to the tyranny unleashed by the Modi Govt on every institution.
Expressing gratitude towards the Opposition alliance and citizens, Justice Reddy concluded, “I am deeply grateful to the leaders of the Opposition parties for reposing their trust in me, and to the countless citizens who continue to inspire this collective struggle for justice, equality, and harmony. With faith in our Constitution and hope in our people, I embark on this journey. May our democratic spirit continue to guide us all.”
The election for the Vice-President will see a direct contest between Justice Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc, and NDA’s nominee C.P. Radhakrishnan. The Election Commission had earlier announced that polling for the Vice-Presidential election would take place on September 9, with counting to take place the same day. The last date for filing nominations is August 21, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until August 25. The Vice-Presidential post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 21, citing health reasons.
Justice Reddy filed the nomination in the presence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, DMK’s Rajya Sabha floor leader Tiruchi Siva, and TMC’s deputy leader in Lok Sabha Satabdi Roy, among others.
