The State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has recommended to the party high command three names for two seats in the Rajya Sabha which the party can win comfortably with its numerical strength. Elections to four seats will be held on June 19.
The three names sent are educationist Prabhakar Kore, whose Rajya Sabha term is going to end, Ramesh Katti (both from Belagavi), and hospitality industry magnate K. Prakash Shetty. Mr. Shetty is a surprise recommendation. The high command will take the final call and make a formal announcement of the party’s candidates from Delhi on Monday, sources said. Tuesday is the last day to submit nomination papers.
Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, party sources said, was playing a “safe game” by pushing the ball to the high command’s court by recommending the names of both Mr. Kore, who is retiring from the Rajya Sabha and aspires to be re-elected, and Mr. Katti, a former MP denied ticket in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The latter, with his brother and ministerial aspirant Umesh Katti, is identified with the “rebel” faction of the party unhappy with Mr. Yediyurappa for “sidelining” them.
“The Chief Minister has not taken sides and has recommended both names. Even if Mr. Ramesh Katti does not make it, the blame will be placed on the high command,” said a senior BJP leader part of the core committee deliberations.
Meanwhile, the recommendation of Mr. Shetty’s name for the second seat has surprised many. Chairman of MRG Group that runs Goldfinch Hotel, which has hosted BJP legislators during political crises several times, Mr. Shetty hails from Mangaluru and has been associated with the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for over two decades, sources said. He is also known to be close to B.Y. Vijayendra, the Chief Minister’s son.
The other names discussed as possible candidates for the second seat were: vice-presidents of the party in the State Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, wife of former Union Minister Ananth Kumar who also lost out in the race for a Lok Sabha ticket in 2019, and M. Nagaraj, an RSS leader from Dharwad. However, Mr. Shetty’s name was finalised.
Sources said there were rumours of a formula that the State unit would get to choose a candidate for one seat, while the high command would field a candidate of its choice for the second seat. “The high command has not given us any instructions about a candidate of their choice for the second seat. So we have recommended a candidate for the second seat as well. It is left to the high command to decide,” said a senior leader.
