6 candidates in fray for 4 RS seats; contest heats up for fourth seat

Bengaluru: Six candidates are in the fray for the June 10 Rajya Sabha poll to four seats from Karnataka, necessitating a heated contest for the fourth seat.

Despite not having an adequate number of votes to win the fourth seat from the State Assembly, all the three political parties in the State -- BJP, Congress and JD(S) -- have fielded candidates for the seat, forcing an election.

The six candidates in the fray for Rajya Sabha polls from the State are -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya from the BJP, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh and State general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan from the Congress, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S).

Among the candidates, Sitharaman and Jairam Ramesh are seeking re-election from the State.

Despite JD(S) seeking support to ensure Reddy's election to the Upper House of the parliament, the Congress did not withdraw its second candidate Khan from the fray on Friday, the last day for withdrawal of nomination, and has issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to vote for the party's candidates.

The JD(S) had sought Congress' support by invoking secularism and to keep communal forces at bay. JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is even said to have discussed with Congress president Sonia Gandhi in this regard.

The Congress had in turn asked the JD(S) to support its candidate Khan, and return the favour, reminding the regional party that it had supported its patriarch and former PM Deve Gowda's election to Rajya Sabha last time.

Announcement of Khan's name as the party's second candidate was a surprise move by the Congress, as it has adequate number of votes to win just one seat.

Following this move, the ruling BJP too announced the candidature of Siroya, despite having numbers to comfortably win only two seats.

The election to four Rajya Sabha seats is necessitated as the term of office of members Nirmala Sitharaman and K C Ramamurthy of BJP, and Jairam Ramesh -- is due to expire on June 30. The fourth member Oscar Fernandes of the Congress passed away last year.

A candidate needs the support of 45 MLAs to win, and based on their strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and the Congress one.

After electing two Rajya Sabha candidates (Sitharaman and Jaggesh) on its own strength in the Assembly, the BJP will be left with an additional 32 MLAs' votes.

The Congress will be left with 24 MLAs' votes after electing Jairam Ramesh, while the JD(S) has only 32 MLAs, which is not sufficient to win a seat.

Counting of votes will take place on June 10 at 5 pm, which is after the polling hours.

Official sources said, as there are three candidates for the fourth seat and none of them have adequate number of votes to win, a situation may arise where the second and third preferential votes may have to be counted if necessary.

There are talks within political circles that the BJP may be at advantage if preferential votes were to be counted.

Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah in response to a question said, "Why should we withdraw our candidate (Khan)? We have fielded him because we want to win."

"We expect lawmakers to cast conscience votes. I can't tell you now who will vote for us," he said, hinting at the possibility of cross-voting.

While JD(S) leader H D Revanna said one has to wait and watch what happens on the polling day, and his party expected the Congress to keep up its words of supporting secular forces.

"Ask Congress whether they have had any internal understanding with BJP to help the saffron party?" he said.

However, BJP leaders have expressed confidence of winning three of the four seats it is contesting in.