Bengaluru: The opposition BJP on Sunday set the ball rolling for the Rajya Sabha polls to four seats from Karnataka, choosing Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu again for the sole seat the party can win on its own.
The ruling Congress is undecided on the two candidates it can send to the Upper House with the names of former Union ministers P. Chidambaram and Oscar Fernandes doing the rounds for the June 11 polls. The fourth seat is up for grabs with Janata Dal (S), which has 40 members in the Assembly, hoping to put up an Independent and win with the support of other parties.
The JD(S) Legislature Party will meet in Bengaluru on May 26 to select the candidate. Party state president H.D. Kumaraswamy said they will field a personality from Karnataka but did not reveal if the candidate would be an industrialist. The BJP too is eyeing the fourth seat with party sources saying talks would be held with the JD(S) on putting up a candidate.
BJP’s Rajya Sabha choice: It’s Venkaiah again
Bengaluru: Union Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu will be the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections due to be held next month. This was decided by the party state core committee meeting which met here on Sunday under the chairmanship of State BJP chief B.S. Yeddyurappa.
Mr Naidu's name was unanimously recommended to the party parliamentary board in Delhi for making a formal announcement. However, there was no unanimity on the candidates for the Council polls.
While a section of leaders like Union ministers Ananth Kumar and D.V. Sadananda Gowda, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar and former DCM R. Ashok supported the candidature of sitting MLC V Somanna, others including Mr Yeddyurappa batted in favor of Bengaluru City BJP president Subba Narasimha.
The name of former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu also cropped up. With no unanimity, the names were forwarded to the BJP top brass in Delhi. After the meeting, Mr Yeddyurappa refused to comment on the stiff opposition in social media against sending Mr Naidu to Rajya Sabha.
In the morning, Mr Somanna went to the residence of Mr Shettar to seek his support for a second innings in the Council. This visit assumed importance in the wake of opposition from Mr Yeddyurappa to Mr Somanna's re-nomination. Aware of the clout Mr Somanna enjoys in Bengaluru, Mr Shettar batted in his favor, party sources told DC.
Sources said the BJP meeting discussed the possibility of seeking support of JD(S) which has 40-members in the 224-member Assembly for putting up a second candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls. State leaders are expected to hold talks with the JD(S) leaders next week regarding extending support to each other in the Council polls.
