RS poll: Candidate choice may not be easy for rift-riven BJP

Dhananjay Kumar, Shanappa, Chandru are among the aspirants

Former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa may have decided to keep off the hustings in the Udupi-Chikmagalur Lok Sabha byelection. But will he refrain from selecting candidates for the Rajya Sabha poll scheduled for March 30?

In case he does, it will be difficult for V Dhananjay Kumar, one of the aspirants for the RS ticket, to enter the fray, because Kumar is identified with the Yeddyurappa camp. Unless the former chief minister bats for Kumar, he may not get a ticket to the Upper House of Parliament.

Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda may not scuttle the candidature of Kumar, as both hail from the coastal region.

K B Shanappa, who will complete his six-year term as a Rajya Sabha member, is keen on re-entering the House. It is an open secret that Shanappa and Yeddyurappa do not see eye to eye.

But Shanappa was one among the 17 BJP MPs who had demanded that the party central leadership rehabilitate Yeddyurappa.

So, the faction-ridden State BJP is unlikely to take a unanimous decision on candidates.

When contacted by this paper, Shanappa as well as Dhananjay Kumar said they were keen on contesting the poll. Shanappa said: “Based on my performance, especially my contribution to the Scheduled Caste community, the party will decide my candidature. Except me, the party has no senior leader in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, where as the Congress has Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh. Anyhow, it’s the party which takes the decision...we are just pawns in the hands of seniors.”

Kumar said the party was yet to finalise the candidates.

“Given the present situation, there may not be unanimity in the selection of candidates. But I am sure the deserving will get the ticket. I hope my wish to contest the poll will be considered. I have been with the party for the last 40 years. Caste alone can’t be a factor for selecting a candidate,” he said.

Asked whether he got any indication from the Delhi leaders as to who would contest the poll, Shanappa replied in the negative.

“The parliamentary board will meet on March 14 or 15 to finalise candidates,” he said.

K S Eshwarappa, State BJP President, said the party can comfortably win two seats.

“Delhi leaders have told us that of the two seats, one seat will be for the national-level leaders. So, we have to select for just one seat. As March 19 is the last date for filing the nomination papers, we will have to select a candidate before that.”

The names of Sudhindra Kulkarni, Niramala Sitharaman and Dharmendra Pradhan have been making the rounds as the ‘Delhi candidate’ from Karnataka.

Mukhyamantri Chandru, Chairperson, Kannada Development Authority, has requested BJP national president Nitin Gadkari to field him as the candidate for either the RS or the Legislative Council elections.

In a letter to Gadkari, a copy of which has been released to the media, Chandru said he had completed two terms as MLC. He said as he cannot “afford” to contest a direct election, he should be fielded to the Rajya Sabha or the Council.

In the case of Congress, which is in a position to win one seat, there are at least four aspirants. Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson K Rehman Khan, is keen on entering the House for a fourth term.

“I am an aspirant. But the high command will decide who should be the candidate. I have no competitors, but only colleagues who are aspiring for a ticket,” he said.

Sources in the Congress said Siddaramaiah was pushing for C M Ibrahim’s candidature, whereas senior leader C K Jaffer Sharief is also trying hard to get a ticket. Congress general secretary B K Hariprasad’s name is also making the rounds. Last time, JD (S) leader H D Deve Gowda had refused to support Hariprasad’s candidature.

Industrialist Rajiv Chandrashekar will be retiring as RS member in April, along with actor Hemamalini, Shanappa and Rehman Khan. Chandrashekar, it is said, is keen on a second term.

He may succeed, provided the JD(S), like the BJP, supports him. The JD(S) this time around is keen on supporting industrialist and former MP Adikesavalu, in case he contests, it is learnt.