New Delhi: A political storm broke out on the eve of the vice-presidential election after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sharply criticized Opposition nominee and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudarshan Reddy for meeting Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been convicted in the multi-crore fodder scam.
At a press conference held at the BJP headquarters in the capital, senior party leader and former Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned Reddy’s credibility and his moral standing as a former judge.
“What kind of a judge are you?” Prasad asked, directly attacking Reddy. “On the one hand, you speak about seeking votes in the name of saving the soul of the nation, and on the other hand, you meet Lalu Prasad Yadav, who stands convicted in the fodder scam. This is sheer hypocrisy. Please don’t preach about saving the soul of the nation while indulging in such double standards.”
The BJP has alleged that by meeting a tainted political leader who has no role in the vice-presidential election, Reddy has sent out the wrong message about his sense of probity and political judgment.
Amit Malviya Joins Attack
BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya also took to social media and public platforms to slam Reddy. Malviya pointed out that Lalu Prasad Yadav is neither a Member of Parliament nor part of the vice-presidential electoral college.
“This isn’t just terrible optics, it’s a shocking commentary on probity in public life by someone aspiring for such a high constitutional office,” Malviya said. “Even more surprising is the silence of the so-called ‘custodians of constitutional morality’ — retired judges and civil society voices who usually never miss an opportunity to lecture others. Their hypocrisy now stands thoroughly exposed.”
Political Significance of the Controversy
The row has gained significance because the election for the post of Vice President — the second-highest constitutional office in India — is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. Members of both Houses of Parliament, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, constitute the electoral college for this election.
Reddy, who is being supported by the INDI Alliance as their joint candidate, has been positioning himself as a moral and ethical alternative to the ruling dispensation. The BJP’s attack aims to dent that image by linking him with a leader convicted of corruption.
The Larger Narrative
The fodder scam, in which Lalu Prasad Yadav was convicted, remains one of the most infamous corruption scandals in India’s political history. By raising the issue now, the BJP is not only targeting Reddy but also attempting to question the Opposition’s judgment in putting forward his candidacy.
With the voting just a day away, the controversy has further heightened the already charged political atmosphere in New Delhi. Both camps are expected to intensify their last-minute efforts to woo Members of Parliament before the crucial vote.
