Amaravati, Aug 31 (IANS) INDIA bloc’s Vice-Presidential candidate and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy on Sunday spoke to YSR Congress Party President and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy over the phone, seeking his party’s support.

However, Jagan Mohan Reddy told him that even before the INDIA bloc had announced its candidate, the NDA had approached him seeking support for their nominee. He said he had already assured the NDA of his backing.

According to a statement from the YSRCP, the party chief told Sudershan Reddy that he holds him in great personal respect and said his services to the nation through the judiciary are invaluable.

“He praised him for his significant contribution towards protecting the Constitution and safeguarding the spirit of democracy. However, he made it clear that since he had already committed to the NDA candidate, he would not be able to support the INDIA bloc candidate in this election and requested that it not be misunderstood,” the statement said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh secured the support of the YSRCP for NDA candidate C. P. Radhakrishnan after he spoke to Jagan Mohan Reddy on August 18.

YSRCP Lok Sabha member Maddila Gurumoorthy had confirmed that his party, with 11 MPs — four in the Lok Sabha and seven in the Rajya Sabha — will be voting for Radhakrishnan.

The YSRCP has always backed NDA candidates in the elections of the President and Vice-President since 2017.

Though not a part of the NDA, the YSRCP voted for Ram Nath Kovind and Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections in 2017 and 2022, respectively. It also backed M. Venkaiah Naidu and Jagdeep Dhankar for the post of Vice-President.

Jagan’s sister and Andhra Pradesh Congress unit President YS Sharmila Reddy has slammed the YSRCP for its decision to support the NDA in Vice-Presidential election. Terming the YSRCP as the ‘B-team’ of the BJP, she said that its decision exposed its “saffron scarf”.

Sharmila also remarked that Jagan Mohan Reddy is not the heir of late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR) but adopted son of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

–IANS

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