Congress in Karnataka picks 3 for Rajya Sabha polls, shocks veterans

Bengaluru: The ruling Congress in Karnataka on Sunday threw up a surprise leaving out battle hardened veterans and finalising the names of AICC spokesman Dr Syed Nasir Hussain, Dalit poet L. Hanumanthaiah and Vokkaliga leader G.C. Chandrasekhar-all considered new faces-for the three Rajya Sabha seats it can win in the March 23 polls.

Karnataka will be sending four MPs to the Upper House and the Congress can easily win two seats but needs a few extra votes to bag the third while the BJP can win the fourth seat. The JD(S) does not have the votes to elect its candidate as seven of its legislators have rebelled while two have resigned making it a difficult proposition for its candidate, business tycoon B.M. Farooq. What could make it even more difficult for him is the fielding of a Vokkaliga Congress candidate, Chandrasekhar, complicating matters for the Vokkaliga dominated JD(S). In fact the Congress has cleverly left it to Vokkaliga MLAs of the JD(S) to choose between a Vokkaliga of the Congress and a Muslim of the JD(S).

Congress leader in the Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s plea that he needed young leaders in the Upper House has come as a blessing for the young Congressmen and closed the doors for veterans like K Rehman Khan.

The names of Sam Pitroda, Janardhan Diwedi and Meira Kumar had done the rounds but CM Siddaramaiah’s request to field local faces seems to have won the day for the chosen candidates.