Elections were announced to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from the state because the terms of current members — Iranna Kadadi and Narayana Koragappa (both from the BJP), Mallikarjun Kharge of the Congress, and former PM H D Deve Gowda from JD(S)-end on June 25.
Kharge sought re-election to Parliament’s upper house from Karnataka.
Alongside Kharge, the other newly elected members are AICC Secretary Mansoor Ali Khan, Congress’s Media and Publicity Department chairperson Pawan Khera, and BJP’s M Nagaraja.
Initially, five candidates had filed nominations by Monday, the last day to do so, for the election to the state’s four Rajya Sabha seats, which was scheduled for June 18. Members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly were scheduled to vote in this election at Vidhana Soudha.
However, officials said that during scrutiny, the nomination filed by an independent candidate was rejected.
The last date for withdrawing candidature was Thursday. Since only four candidates remained in the fray, they were declared elected “unanimously”, officials added.Chief Minister D K Shivakumar congratulated Kharge, Khera, and Khan on being elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.
“I am confident that they will champion Karnataka’s interests in Parliament, effectively voicing the aspirations of our people and working towards the state’s continued progress and development,” he posted on ‘X’.
Speaking to reporters after being declared elected, Khera said it is a matter of great pride that the Congress leadership gave him an opportunity to serve the people of Karnataka through the Rajya Sabha, and he hopes to do justice to all aspirations.
“I also hope the next time, when I address all of you, I will pick up the beautiful Kannada language. Next time I will try to speak in Kannada,” he said.
Khan, on his part, thanked the party leadership both at the Centre and the state for giving him an opportunity to represent the issues of Karnataka and the country in Rajya Sabha.
“I will work for Karnataka and the country, and raise issues that are in the country’s interest in the Rajya Sabha,” Khan, the son of a former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Rahman Khan told reporters.
BJP’s Nagaraja thanked the party’s state and national leadership, saying he will try to meet expectations and work toward ensuring the state’s interests in the Rajya Sabha.
Asked whether he will fulfill the lack of Kuruba community leadership in the party, he said, “Definitely, representation in this regard was made to the leadership and that might have led to my nomination.” PTI KSU ROH
