JOIN USDeputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha K Rahman Khan of the Congress, Basavaraj Patil Sedam and R Ramakrishna of the BJP and Independent candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar were on Thursday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from the State in the biennial elections.
As only four candidates remained in the fray for the elections to four vacant seats, Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary Om Prakash, who is also the Returning Officer, declared them elected.
Rahman Khan has been re-elected for the fourth consecutive time from the State, while it is the second term for businessman Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who was supported by the JD(S). Veteran BJP leader Sedam will be entering Rajya Sabha for the first time.
He was a Lok Sabha MP in the past. BJP Election Cell Convener and former IAS officer R Ramakrishna is also a new entrant to the Upper House. The term of the new members will be for six years.
A candidate needs 45 first preference votes to get elected. The BJP had fielded two candidates and the Congress one, depending on their numerical strength in the Assembly. Rajeev Chandrasekhar had secured the support of JD(S) and BJP for the fourth seat. However, there was no need for polling for the elections.