CHENNAI: Congratulating B Sudershan Reddy on being chosen as the vice-presidential candidate of INDIA bloc, DMK president and Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “At a time when our institutions are under strain, his candidature strengthens our collective resolve to safeguard democracy and protect the spirit of the Constitution.”
Although there was pressure from the NDA alliance leaders in the state to support their vice-presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan, a Tamil, Stalin gave a strong reason for backing Reddy.
He reasoned, “The secular-spirited people of Tamil Nadu have, in successive elections, overwhelmingly voted for the MPs and MLAs of the DMK alliance to defend the rights of the state and safeguard the Constitution. Hence, the decision to support the INDIA bloc candidate stands as both a reaffirmation of the people’s faith and a mark of respect for their mandate and sentiment.”
Emphasising the need to support Reddy, he said, “All the independent institutions that were meant to safeguard Indian democracy have been turned into subsidiary bodies of the ruling party, and the very Constitution itself is in danger. In such a situation, the responsibility before us is to support only one who believes in India’s fundamental ideals of secularism, federalism, social justice, and unity in diversity.”
Stalin further said, “Reddy is the right choice as he stands opposed to anti-federalism, authoritarianism, and the trend of spreading hatred,” adding that Reddy has faith in the Constitution and in the principles of federalism, pluralism, social justice, and linguistic rights.