From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore

Bangalore, Jun 9: Senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary B K Hariprasad and Prof Rajiv Gowda, who comes in place of the Vokkaliga leader and former Union External Affairs Minister S M Krishna, filed their nomination papers as Congress candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka.

Prof Rajiv Gowda, son of former State Assembly Speaker M Venkatappa and professor at Indian Institute of Management, has been chosen as the Congress party candidate in place of the septuagenarian Krishna, by virtue of his proximity to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi.

Prof Rajiv Gowda, who was a serious contender for the party ticket from one of the constituencies in the just concluded Lok Sabha polls, has been functioning as one of the party spokespersons from the State.

Hariprasad, the sitting Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, AICC, filed papers in the presence of Chief Minister Siddarmaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwara.

Elections will be held for four seats from the Assembly constituency.

Prabhakara Kore of the BJP and Kupendra Reddy of the JD(S) have already filed papers.

Originally a Congress member, Kupendra resigned from the party after he learnt that he would not be fielded for the Rajya Sabha polls.

Kupendra Reddy, who has close ties with JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda as well as his son and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, did not waste his time and joined the JD(S).

With only four candidates are in the fray, all four are set to be elected unopposed without going through the process of elections.

In his affidavit on his assets and liabilities declaration, Kupendra revealed that he owns assets worth Rs 570.92 crore, making him one of the richest Parliament hopefuls in the country.

Kupendra Reddy owns fixed assets worth Rs 344.02 crore, including property, cars and gold. His wife Pusphavathi owns assets worth Rs 108.05 crore. He had lost the 2008 Assembly polls on a Congress ticket, when his assets were worth Rs 178 crore.

The strength of the JD(S) in the Assembly is 40 and the winning candidate needs 45 votes. However, with only four candidates in the fray, Kupendra Reddy need not go through the process of managing the deficit of 5 votes for a win.

KPCC Chief Parameshwara files Nomination for Council Polls

The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President Dr G Parameshwara, former Minister H M Revanna, former MLA N S Bosaraju and Jayamma Balraj, Zilla Parishad member of Chitradurga, filed papers for elections to the Council from the Legislative Assembly from the Congress party.

Elections to the State Legislative Council for the 7 seats from the State Legislative Assembly are due to be held on June 19.

Former Deputy Chief Minister K S Eshwarappa and ex-State BJP President, and D U Mallikajun (Independent) have already filed papers.

The real estate baron, D U Mallikarjun, who also enjoys support from the BJP, is assured of support from the JD(S).

If elected, Mallikarjun, who owns assets worth Rs 263.9 crore, would be the richest MLC of Karnataka. He owns a fleet of several luxury and high-end cars.