New Delhi, Aug 2: NDA’s vice-presidential candidate M. Venkaiah idu has reached out to all members of Parliament cutting across party lines, seeking their support for the August 5 election and said he will uphold ideals of the freedom struggle and principles of the Constitution. In a letter to the parliamentarians, idu gave an account of his over four decades of public life including his terms as a member of the Andhra Pradesh Assembly twice and his fourth consecutive term in the Rajya Sabha. “I can assure you that I will uphold the dignity of office and protect the collective constitutiol inheritance,” idu said in his letter on Tuesday, which was released to the media on Wednesday. The voting for the vice-presidential election is secret and MPs comprise the electoral college for the election. idu has a clear edge over his rival, Gopalkrish Gandhi, who has the backing of some major opposition parties.
idu, in his letter, said on being elected he will “defend and uphold the ideals of freedom struggle, the spirit and principles of Constitution including justice, equality and liberty and cherished values of tiol unity and integration”. He spoke of “hard work and passion” with which he brought about changes as Union Minister in the architecture of new schemes, in the decision-making and implementation to ensure involvement of states. “I am a firm believer in the principle of cooperative federalism,” idu said in an apparent reference to the role of the Vice President as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, which is the ‘council of states’.
idu said the country faces challenges posed by terrorism, climate change, globalisation and there were also opportunities provided by technology. “It shall be my endeavour to facilitate proper conduct of Rajya Sabha so that all MPs can contribute their best to the making of a New India. (IANS)