BENGALURU: The Congress party which was on a revival mode across the country is once again trying to bank on the charisma of the Gandhi family, as a section of the party wants Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka. As Karnataka is heading for assembly polls in 2023, state Congress leaders including KPCC President D K Shivakumar are reportedly planning to invite Priyanka to contest the RS polls from the state as it can boost the morale of the party’s rank and file, a party leader said.
However, according to another Congress leader, “Priyanka’s name comes up during every Rajya Sabha election. It has happened in the past too, including in 2020. I do not think she will choose Rajya Sabha as an option to enter Parliament”. The leader said the party’s sitting Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka Jairam Ramesh is likely to be re-nominated. If Ramesh contests from some other state, as Deepender Singh Hooda has invited him to contest from Haryana, the party will have to search for another candidate.
The Congress has enough numbers to win one of the four Rajya Sabha seats regardless of the candidature, and in order to win another seat, it will need the support of the JD(S).
Apart from Jairam Ramesh, former MLC Ivo D’Soza and former Lok Sabha MP V S Ugrappa have also been lobbying for nomination from the party. Some Christian community members have approached AICC general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala urging him to nominate a member from their community as one of the seats fell vacant following the death of Oscar Fernandes.
Four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka fell vacant with the term of four members - Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, K C Ramamurthy of BJP, Jairam Ramesh and late Oscar Fernades, elected from the Legislative Assembly, coming to an end on June 30.
The BJP likely to renominate Nirmala Sitaraman and K C Ramaswamy and the JD(S) which is 13-14 MLAs short of electing the fourth member is looking at the extra votes of the Congress and the BJP. “Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda is likely to speak to the BJP high command and strike a deal”, a JD(S) leader said.
To get a Rajya Sabha member elected, 45 votes of as many MLAs are required. The BJP with 122 MLAs can elect two of its nominees at ease, the Congress with 69 MLAs can win one seat and the JD(S) with 32 MLAs will need at least 13 more votes from as many MLAs. But the chances of the JD(S) supporting the third candidate from BJP cannot be ruled out as some of its MLAs have already planned to quit the party and are unlikely to abide by the party’s decision. Former Rajya Sabha member Kupendra Reddy may attempt to contest but there might be a surprise candidate from JD(S) as well, a source informed TNIE.