BENGALURU: With notification for election of a member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from the Assembly after the resignation of former Congress MLC CM Ibrahim, lobbying for the seat has already begun in the BJP. The BJP with 121 MLAs is sure to bag the sole seat while names of party leaders and RSS loyalists are doing the rounds.
Party loyalists including RSS second-rung leaders wish that former MLC Arun Shapura, who lost to the Congress’ Prakash Hukkeri in the recently held north-east teachers’ MLC polls, is back in the Upper House as he was a good debater. But former Karnataka minister Dr Gurupadappa Sanganabasappa Nagamarapalli’s son Suryakanth G Nagamarpalli, and former Humabad MLA Subhash Kallur are also in the fray. Both are from Bidar district of Hyderabad-Karnataka region where the BJP wants to strengthen its base, sources said.
Among women, BJP Mahila Morcha president Geetha Vivekananda, and spokesperson C Manjula, former chairperson of the Karnataka State Women’s Commission are the front runners. This time the party is likely to choose those who were disgruntled on missing out a chance, and any surprise move cannot be ruled out. The tenure of the newly elected MLC will end on June 17, 2024.The BJP, if it wins, will improve its tally to 40 seats in the 75-member House which will ultimately help them to pass certain bills at ease with the majority.