Oppn not focussed on VP poll results, wants to send message it is battle of ideologies: Ramesh

New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) Congress leader Jairam Ramesh Thursday said the opposition was not focused on the vice presidential poll results, but keen on sending out a message that this was a battle of ideologies, and INDIA bloc candidate B Sudarshan Reddy is a defender of the Constitution.

He said all parties should support Reddy and asserted the opposition will reach out to various parties to garner support for the distinguished jurist.

"Vice president elections are set to take place on September 9. From the government side, the candidate is of RSS ideology, and on the other hand, the joint candidate of opposition parties is a distinguished retired judge who believes in the Constitution, and secular and democratic principles," Ramesh told PTI.

"The contest is not just between two individuals or for a post. It is a fight between two ideologies, and that is why we decided that we will definitely contest this election because we want to send a message to the country that this is not one-sided," he said.

Ramesh also asserted that there can be no consensus with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah because they don't believe in it.

He said the opposition was not focused on the results of the vice presidential polls but was keen to send out the message that this is a battle of ideologies and its joint candidate is a defender of the Constitution.

Earlier in the day, the opposition's vice-presidential candidate Reddy filed his nomination for the elections to the second-highest office, and asserted the contest is not just about an individual, but reaffirming the idea of India where Parliament functions with integrity, dissent is respected, and institutions serve people with independence.

The former Supreme Court judge filed his nomination in the presence of top opposition leaders, including Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav, DMK's Tiruchi Siva, TMC's Satabdi Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Sanjay Raut, and CPI(M)'s John Brittas, among others.

In a statement after filing his nomination, Reddy vowed that if elected, he would discharge the role of vice-president with impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue and decorum. PTI ASK ASK NSD NSD