New Delhi: The Opposition on Tuesday named former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudarshan Reddy as its “joint candidate” for the September 9 Vice-Presidential elections, which it termed an “ideological battle” against the BJP-led NDA which has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.

If the BJP intended to put the DMK in a spot by choosing a Tamil as the NDA candidate, a section in the Opposition believes they have returned fire by choosing a Telugu that could create a political dilemma for N Chandrababu Naidu-led TDP and K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS. AAP, which has left the INDIA bloc, has also pledged its support to Justice Reddy, as the INDIA leaders maintained he is a “joint Opposition candidate and not just the bloc's”.

Sources said Arvind Kejriwal was briefed by Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien about the consensus reached over the candidate following which the AAP chief gave his party’s green signal.

The name was given the final stamp at a meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's official residence here, which was preceded by a meeting on Monday evening and late night consultations among top leaders. Sources said they were pitching the battle as “Constitution and Idea of India versus RSS-BJP”.

The announcement also caps two days of intense consultations during which names of former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai, Mahatma Gandhi's great grandson Tushar Gandhi and former Rajya Sabha MP Bhalchandra Mungekar among others also cropped up.

Flanked by INDIA leaders, Kharge told a press conference, “This Vice-Presidential contest is an ideological battle. All Opposition parties have nominated Justice B Sudarshan Reddy as their joint candidate...Justice Reddy is one of India’s most distinguished and progressive jurists.”

“He has been a consistent and courageous champion of social, economic and political justice. He reflects, fully, the values that shaped our country’s freedom movement so profoundly, and the values on which our country’s Constitution and democracy have been anchored. All these values are under assault and therefore, our collective and determined resolve to fight this election,” Kharge said.