Bengaluru: Five candidates including Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman are in the fray for the biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka.
“Five candidates are in the fray now after independent candidate KA Mohan’s papers were rejected,” Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary S Murthy, who is also the Returning Officer, told PTI.
Mohan’s papers were rejected for not enclosing proposers’ names and an additional affidavit. Friday was the last date for withdrawal of candidature.
Voting is scheduled for June 11and counting of votes will happen on the same day.
Congress has fielded three candidates Jairam Ramesh, Oscar Fernandes (former Union ministers) and former IPS officer Ramamurthy, while BJP and JD(S) have fielded Union Minister Nirmala Seetharaman and B M Farooq, respectively.
Congress decision to field the third candidate, Ramamurthy, has given tense moments to JD(S), which needs five additional votes to see its candidate through, as it has 40 members.
The required strength for victory is 45 votes.
To the JDS discomfiture, five of its MLAs, including Zameer Ahmed, have reportedly decided to back the third candidate of Congress.
Congress has 122 MLAs and needs extra 13 votes to ensure the victory of its third candidate, with Chief Minister Siddaramiah seeking support of 11 Independents and five JDS rebel legislators.
BJP is also short of one vote but is confident of making up the shortfall.
Meanwhile, 8 candidates are in the fray for the biennial elections to fill 7 seats of Karnataka Legislative Council, for which voting be held on June 10.
(Agencies)
