Opposition VP candidate Sudarshan Reddy meets Arvind Kejriwal

New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) Opposition vice-presidential candidate B Sudarshan Reddy on Thursday met AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal to seek his party's support for the election to the second highest constitutional post scheduled for September 9, officials said.

The meeting was held at Kejriwal's residence, hours after Reddy filed his nomination for the vice-presidential poll.

While filing his nomination, Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge, was accompanied by the top opposition leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, SP's Ramgopal Yadav, DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, TMC’s Satabdi Roy, Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay Raut and CPI(M)’s John Brittas.

After submitting his nomination, Reddy said the contest was “not about one individual, but about reaffirming the idea of India where Parliament functions with integrity, dissent is respected, and institutions serve people with independence".

The NDA has fielded Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan as its nominee. The ruling alliance enjoys clear numerical advantage in the electoral college of 781 members (Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha), with 391 as the majority mark.

The vice-president's post fell vacant after the sudden resignation by incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. PTI MHS ARI