HDD acknowledges BJP, Cong role in RS nomination

Former prime minister and JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda said Tuesday that he had the support of even the ruling BJP to get elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.

Speaking to reporters after filing his nomination papers, the 87-year-old veteran said that both national parties - BJP and Congress - had a role in his eventual nomination to the Upper House of Parliament. “While BJP fielded only two candidates, Congress fielded one,” he pointed out.

Both national parties have allowed my nomination. “Nobody can question my credentials,” he said.

Though he hadn’t decided on contesting any elections after his loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Gowda said that several leaders such as AICC president Sonia Gandhi, the Left parties and even JD(S) MLA as well as incumbent Rajya Sabha member D Kupendra Reddy wanted his nomination.

After his loss in 2019 elections, Sonia had told that she had “lost” him in the Lok Sabha, to which he had promised her to cooperate in all issues. Due to subsequent pressure, “on Sunday evening, I informed Madam Gandhi that I would file nomination,” he said.

“I don’t know whether it is my last battle,” the senior leader said, adding that he would stick to his secular values. Earlier in the day, the JD(S) leader along with his sons - former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy and former minister H D Revanna - and other legislators of the party, filed his nomination at Vidhana Soudha.

An independent candidate - Sangamesh Chikkanaragund, a resident of Ramdurg taluk, Belagavi district - also filed his nomination. However, his nomination is likely be rejected as the number of legislators backing his candidature seems insufficient.