Bengaluru: The BJP core committee on Saturday recommended the name of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as a Rajya Sabha candidate from Karnataka. Thus Sitharaman is likely to contest Rajya Sabha polls from Karnataka again. She was elected to the RS in 2014 and her tenure ends next month. The biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha will be taking place on June 3.
The Karnataka BJP Core committee meeting on Saturday discussed candidates for elections to four Rajya Sabha seats from the state and for the Legislative Council polls. Five other names, including K.C. Ramamurthy, are recommended for another seat. State BJP vice-president Nirmal Kumar Surana's name has also been recommended as an RS candidate. In addition, the name of Karnataka MLC Lehar Singh is also making rounds. The final decision, however, will be finalized by the BJP high command.
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It is learned that a decision has been taken to send the candidate's name from the field of art, literature, and cinema for the third(Rajya Sabha) seat. The third seat, as per sources, has witnessed the recommendation of two names so far: businessman Prakash Shetty and Lahari Velu. The elections were necessitated as 3 members from Karnataka are retiring between June and August this year, as well as the seat vacant after the passing away of RS member Oscar Fernandez last year.
The meeting also considered the name B.Y. Vijayendra, son of former CM B.S.Yeddyurappa is a potential candidate for the Legislative Council elections to be held on June 3. The list of candidates is being forwarded to the BJP central election committee in a ratio of 1: 5. These names are sent to the Central Election Committee. The terms of seven Karnataka MLCs will expire on June 14.
Actor-politician Jaggesh, Laxman Sawadi, BJP State Vice President B.Y. Vijayendra, General Secretary Mahesh Tenginakayi, SC Morcha President Chalavadi Narayana Swamy, Vice President Rajendra, General Secretary Siddaraju, Geeta Vivekananda and Ne.la. Narendra Babu is also in the race.
