BENGALURU:-A former Union Minister and a five-time Lok Sabha member of New Delhi Ajay Maken entered Rajya Sabha fray from Karnataka and he filed his nominations in Bengaluru on Thursday as a Congress nominee. Along with Maken, two other Congress nominees-G.C. Chandrashekar and Naseer Hussain also filed their nominations.
Ajay Maken was accompanied by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies K.H. Muniyappa and others to file his papers.
After filing of nominations by the candidates, reacting to Ajay Maken’s contest from Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister and president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D.K. Shivakumar said the family of Ajay Maken fought for the integrity of the country and have also sacrificed for the nation. Since his college days, Maken has strived hard to build the party and he has been one of the pillars of the party. We are happy to have chosen Ajay Maken to contest from Karnataka.”
On Delhi based Ajay Maken contest from Karnataka, Shivakumar responding to a query stated that in the past both Janata Dal Secular (JDS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have also fielded candidates from other States to contest Rajya Sabha polls. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured that the party will strive for the success of Ajay Maken.
Among the three Congress nominees in the fray, a re-nominated G.C. Chandrashekar told Deccan Chronicle after filing of papers that he has been re-nominated by the party considering his work to build the party and rewarded for his loyalty to the party. Chandrashekar listed his party activities such as camp incharge of Congress MP Rahul Gandhi led “Bharat Jodo Yatra” which passed through Karnataka, incharge of Mandya and Tumakuru districts during 2023 Assembly polls which Congress nominees won in 13 of the 19 seats, among many other contributions.
During his performance in Rajya Sabha in the previous term, Chandrashekar said there was no reservation for Kannadigas in National Law College and three years back a 25 percent reservation has been provided to Kannadigas, drew the attention of Union Government in border dispute areas between Karnataka and Maharashtra and facilities were provided to the people and earlier some of the MPs from Karnataka hesitated to speak in Kannada in Rajya Sabha and I showed them the way. Now, MPs from Karnataka have started to speak in Kannada more often.
If re-elected to Rajya Sabha, he assured to raise his voice over “injustice” to Karnataka from the Central Government over tax devolution, permission for Mekedatu drinking water project across River Cauvery and issues bothering the State.
