India, Sept. 7 -- Congress-led INDIA bloc's candidate for the Vice President of India, former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy told the MPs on Sunday that voting for him won't just be about an individual but "a vote for the spirit of India itself".

"Democracy thrives on cooperation, not confrontation, and my strength lies in listening, mediating, building consensus," Reddy said in a message to MPs, who will vote on September 9 to elect the next VP between Reddy and the ruling BJP-led NDA's CP Radhakrishnan, a BJP-RSS veteran who is currently Governor of Maharashtra.

Reddy reminded the MPs that there is no party whip in this election - meaning no binding directions can be issued by parties to their members - and said "love for the c...