New Delhi: Ina fervent appeal to MPs ahead of the Vice-Presidential polls, Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudarshan Reddy on Sunday exhorted them to not let party loyalty guide their choice and asserted that by entrusting him with this office, they would be ensuring that the Rajya Sabha stands as a true temple of democracy.

In a video message, Justice Reddy told the MPs that he seeks their support not for himself but for the "values that define us as a sovereign democratic republic". “In this election, there is no party whip, and the ballot is secret. It is not loyalty to any political party, but love for the country that must guide your choice. Each one of you carry the moral responsibility to preserve the conscience, the soul of our beloved nation,” he said in his over 12-minute-long video message to the Members of Parliament.

“By entrusting me with this office, you will be choosing to defend parliamentary traditions, to restore dignity to debate, and to ensure that the Rajya Sabha stands as a true temple of democracy,” the former Supreme Court judge said. This is not just a vote to elect your Vice-President - it is a vote for the spirit of India itself, he asserted. “Together, let us strengthen our Republic and create a legacy that future generations will be proud to inherit,” he said. In his message to MPs, Justice Reddy said he stands before them with humility and a deep sense of responsibility as a candidate for the office of the vice-president of the great Republic. "India’s democracy was built on the supreme sacrifices of our freedom fighters and nurtured for decades by their vision," he said. “Today, as that democratic space shrinks and citizens’ rights come under strain, it is our duty to defend the soul of our democratic Republic", he said. The Opposition V-P candidate said his candidature is not at all a personal aspiration but a collective effort to protect and strengthen India's democratic fabric. The Vice-Presidential poll will be held on Tuesday. It will be a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint Opposition candidate Justice Reddy. Both candidates this time hail from southern India, with Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and Justice Reddy from Telangana.