After the decimation of the Congress in the lok Sabha polls, resentment is brewing up in the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee against the proposed candidature of former Finance Minister P Chidambaram from the State for the June 19 election to the Rajya Sabha.
A source in the Congress told The Pioneer that CM Siddaramaiah is opposed to any move by the High Command to thrust Chidambaram from Karnataka. The source pointed out that during his recent visit to Delhi, the Chief Minister made it clear to the party high command that there was a growing resistance against Chidambaram’s candidature from Karnataka.
A senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity said, “It is an embarrassment to get Chidambaram elected from Karnataka as he was always opposed to Karnataka’s stand on Cauvery.”
According to KPCC sources both Chief Minister and Congress president G Parameshwara were against bringing Chidambaram to Karnataka and get him elected to Rajya Sabha.
Speculation is rife that Chidambaram, who declined to contest the lok Sabha polls, will be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha from the State. The term of four RS MPs from Karnataka will get over on June 24, while polls to fill the vacancies are scheduled on June 19. With the present strength in the Assembly, Congress can certainly win two seats where a candidate requires 44 votes.
Meanwhile, a senior Congress leader and MlA from Madhugiri KN Rajanna went public opposing Chidambaram’s candidature. He said, “Chidambaram failed to protect the interest of the State in the Cauvery issue and I and many MlAs are opposed to this idea. We have informed the Chief Minister regarding this. We have also told our Opposition to State Congress chief G Parameshwara.”
Of the four seats from Karnataka, the Congress can easily win two. A candidate requires 44 votes as three MlAs have become MPs. The Congress has 121 members in the 224 members House, excluding the Speaker.
After getting its two candidates elected, the Congress can bid for the third seat with the surplus 32 votes and seek the help of Independents. Sources said a ticket may be given to a candidate from the Kuruba community as the two candidates who contested the lS polls lost and for the last 34 years, there has been no representation from the community in the Upper House.
The name of former Minister HM Revanna, who is close to the CM, is doing the rounds. For the two other seats, outgoing MP BK Hariprasad and former CM SM Krishna are among the contenders.
Meanwhile, the Congress is seeking the support of JD(S) which has 40 MlAs. But JD(S) leader and Devegowda’s son HD Kumaraswamy ruled out any support to Congress and asked them to give four votes to support a JD(S) candidate.
BJP is said to field Union Minister of State for Commerce, Industry and Finance (Independent charge) Nirmala Seetharaman as the party candidate.