Why is BJP Criticizing Opposition’s V-P Candidate Over Lalu Yadav Meeting?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- BJP criticizes Justice Reddy for meeting a convicted leader.
- Integrity in public life questioned amid political campaigns.
- Association with convicts raises ethical concerns.
- Public trust in candidates is crucial for democracy.
- Vice-Presidential election upcoming, with BJP favored.
New Delhi, Sep 8 (NationPress) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has aggressively criticized the Opposition's Vice-Presidential candidate, Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, due to his association with Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has been convicted in the notorious multi-crore fodder scam.
In a press briefing, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad questioned the former Supreme Court judge's calls for integrity and moral values in public service, stating that his interactions with a convicted individual undermine the credibility of his candidacy for the second-highest Constitutional position in the country.
“Lalu Yadav has faced numerous convictions, including those related to employment scams and the illicit sale of Railway assets. Given these serious allegations, what message is Mr. Reddy attempting to convey by associating with him?” Prasad emphasized.
Describing their meeting as ‘extreme hypocrisy,’ he urged the Opposition’s V-P candidate to reconsider his claims of moral integrity, arguing that it is he who is compromising high standards of conduct.
“Justice Reddy's meeting with a convict involved in the fodder scam is absolutely condemnable, and we denounce it in the strongest possible terms,” the BJP leader asserted.
Prasad also criticized the retired judges who previously supported Reddy regarding the controversial ‘Salwa Judum’ ruling, questioning their silence in light of Reddy's current association with a convicted politician.
Earlier, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya also criticized Justice Reddy's meeting with RJD chief Lalu Yadav, describing it as an ‘absolute hypocrisy.’
Sharing images on X, he remarked that B. Sudarshan Reddy engaged with a fodder scam convict who is not even an MP and lacks voting rights in the Vice-Presidential electoral college.
“This situation not only reflects poor optics but also raises serious concerns about integrity in public life from someone aiming for a prestigious Constitutional role,” Malviya stated.
“Furthermore, the silence of the 'usual suspects'—retired judges and self-proclaimed guardians of Constitutional ethics—exposes their hypocrisy,” he added.
The Vice-Presidential election is scheduled for Tuesday, with the likelihood favoring the BJP's V-P candidate CP Radhakrishnan.