The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday, June 7, announced its candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha and Karnataka Legislative Council elections and ended speculation over the re-election of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda to the Upper House.
In a statement issued late on Sunday night, the BJP's Central Election Committee named Prof M Nagaraja as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat from Karnataka. The party also announced Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya as its candidates for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections.
Nagaraja who hails from Hubbali has served as the vice-president of the BJP.
The announcement comes amid expectations within the Janata Dal (Secular), the BJP's ally in Karnataka, that Deve Gowda could be fielded as a consensus candidate of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Deve Gowda, who is currently a Rajya Sabha member, is among those whose terms are ending later this month.
According to media reports, JD(S) had indicated that several party legislators favoured another term for the former Prime Minister, citing his seniority and long political career. However, the BJP leadership opted to field a new face instead. Reports suggest that age and health considerations were among the factors behind the decision not to renominate Deve Gowda.
The development is likely to disappoint sections of the JD(S), which had hoped to retain representation in the Rajya Sabha through the alliance arrangement. Union Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy had earlier maintained that his party would not pressure the BJP leadership for a Rajya Sabha berth.
The Rajya Sabha election in Karnataka is being held for four seats. Of the retiring members, the BJP currently holds two seats, the JD(S) one and the Congress one. Given its numerical strength in the Karnataka Assembly, the Congress is expected to comfortably secure three seats, leaving only one seat within reach of the Opposition.
The Congress has fielded party president Mallikarjun Kharge, AICC Secretary Mansoor Ali Khan and AICC Media and Publicity Department chairperson Pawan Khera for the Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka.
The BJP's decision to nominate Prof Nagaraja signals that the party intends to contest the lone Opposition seat rather than accommodate its alliance partner. With the announcement, Deve Gowda's parliamentary innings will likely conclude.
Alongside the Rajya Sabha nomination, the BJP also finalised its candidates for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections. Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya have been fielded for the seats that will be filled through elections by Members of the Legislative Assembly.
