Karnataka RS polls: All parties field candidate for fourth seat though none assured of requisite votes

Elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka will see equations pan out between the ruling BJP and the two opposition parties --Congress and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) -- with all the three outfits fielding candidates for the fourthseat for which none of them have the requisitenumbers to get elected.

The deficit of votes in each party for the fourth seat has raised concerns of cross voting and other allurements.

As this year is a run-up to Assembly polls in 2023,the ruling BJP government is going to come out with populist programmes and heap grants on MLAs' constituencies.

For the first time, the JD(S), which used to be the kingmaker either in the formation of a coalition government or extending support to Independent moneybag candidates in Rajya Sabha elections, has been stumped by the Congress and its ‘off and on’ ally, the BJP.

The JD(S) was banking on Congress support to transfer its surplus votes and get its party candidate elected for the fourth seat. However, the Congress fielded its own candidate for the fourth seat, which has put the JD(S) in a spot.

Based on the numerical strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP has fielded two candidates by renominating Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and former MLA, Kannada actor Jaggesh. The Congress has the requisite votes to nominate one candidate and the ticket has been given to outgoing MP Jairam Ramesh.

On Monday, the Congress decided to contest the fourth seat and gave the ticket to a youngster, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan. He is the son of Rajya Sabha's former Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan.

The BJP and the JD(S) then entered the fray for the fourth seat which was up for grabs. Late on Monday evening, the BJP announced the candidature of party MLC Lahar Singh Siroya, whose term in the Legislative Council ends in June.

Upset by the move made by the Congress, the JD(S) claimed that it decided to contest the fourth seat only after it was assured support by Congress leaders. The JD(S) has fielded Bengaluru based realtor and former Rajya Sabha MP Kupendra Reddy.

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son and MLA H D Revanna told the media on Tuesday that his father had spoken to Congress president Sonia Gandhi who had assured him of support. “Based on her assurance and that of other top Congress leaders, the JD(S) decided to enter the poll fray. Congress support is required to keep communal parties at bay,'' he added.

Of the 224 members in the state Assembly, the BJP has 120 MLAs with the support of 2 Independents, Congress 69 with one Independent and the JD(S) 32 members. Each Rajya Sabha candidate requires 45 first preference votes to be elected.

The BJP, after allotting 90 votes to its first and second candidates, will be left with 32 votes and will need 13 votes from outside.

The Congress will need 25 votes from outside for Khan to get elected after Ramesh is given the 45 first preference votes.

The JD(S) needs the least number of votes of 13 from other parties to get Reddy elected.

Political observers said the chances of Siroya pulling through are high as all parties will be allotting the second preference votes too and if they are counted, the BJP stands to gain.

“I am confident of winning. I have friends in all the parties,” Siroya said.

According to Congress sources, the idea to contest the fourth seat was of former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who was determined not to support the JD(S).

JD(S) candidate Reddy met KPCC President D K Shivakumar and other leaders including Mallikarjun M Kharge and B K Hariprasad.

“Siddaramaiah was firm that the Congress should field its own nominee and from the minority community. Of late, Siddaramaiah has been firmly standing up on issues, be it the RSS or the hijab row with none to back him,” they added.

Congress sources said though chances of Khan sailing past are slim, his political future in the party has been chartered out. “He is sticking his neck out for the party and in future can claim what he wants,” they stated.

In the JD(S), before Reddy's candidature was finalised, party MLC B M Farookh's name was considered, who is close to the Gowda family. Farookh reportedly made it clear that the party should not seek the BJP's support, while Revanna was keen on Reddy. Farookh had contested the Rajya Sabha polls in 2016 and lost due to cross voting by some JD(S) MLAs.