The BJP has given tickets to two lesser known names for the Rajya Sabha elections.
Bengaluru: While the state BJP unit had met under the chairmanship of chief minister BS Yediyurappa to finalise the names for Rajya Sabha and even recommended three names - Ramesh Katti, Prakash Shetty and Prabhakar Kore, the high command has sprung a surprise by not accepting any of these three names.
In fact, it has chosen to go with two unheard names.
They are Eranna Kadadi, a former president of the Belgaum rural unit of the party and Ashok Jasti, a party leader who hails from Raichur district.
This is seen as a move to give representation to the rank and file of the party.
It is also to be noted that Ashok Jatti is from a backward community, the Savita Samaj.
“New names, new generations, new line ups are being formed. BJP recognises grassroot level workers. Our party is a party with a difference,” said Sreenath Sheshadri, a BJP spokesperson.
On the other hand, the Congress has given a ticket to Mallikarjuna Kharge while the JD(S) has decided to field HD Deve Gowda, former Prime Minister.
It might be recalled that Kharge had lost the Lok Sabha elections last year in kalaburagi while Deve Gowda had lost in Tumakuru as well.
"Gowda has agreed to contest in the Rajya Sabha poll as our candidate on the assurance of support from the Congress, as our party is short of 10 votes required to win, with only 34 legislators in the assembly," JD-S official S Sadananda said, as reported by a popular website.
Earlier in the day, former CM HD Kumaraswamy had tweeted, "Former PM HD Devegowda has decided to contest the Rajya Sabha elections at the request of party legislators, Sonia Gandhi Ji and several national leaders. He is going to file his nominations tomorrow. Thanks to Sri DeveGowda for agreeing to everyone's consensus.”
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