Bengaluru, Feb 15 (UNI) In an interesting development, the NDA on Thursday fielded an extra candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka even though they do not have the required numbers in the state assembly.
The Rajya Sabha election is scheduled for February 27.
JDS leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Kupendra Reddy filed the nomination papers after consulting the BJP central leaders.
With the four vacancies in Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, Congress and BJP can win three and one, respectively with their current numbers.
However, the NDA has decided to surprise Congress by fielding an extra candidate.
The NDA is eyeing the support of four independents with JDS having 19 votes and BJP boasting 20 leftover votes.
Reddy is a former Rajya Sabha member from JDS. He is a close aide of former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
“BJP National President J P Nadda and national leaders and BJP state leaders joined together and ultimately we decided to file the nomination papers as an NDA candidate. JDS-BJP coalition candidate, Kupendra Reddy we selected from both the parties.
“We didn’t want to waste the votes for that reason, Delhi high command also BJP high command advised us to put a candidate and we decided to file the nomination papers by Kupendra Reddy,” Kumaraswamy told reporters here.
