Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 28: The Congress and the JD(S) are jittery about the prospects of the BJP fielding a third candidate for the Rajya Sabha poll scheduled to be held during the second week of June.

The election is being held to choose four candidates from the state. BJP, it is learnt, is engaged in behind-the-scene exercises to siphon off votes of Congress and JD(S) loyalists by fielding a candidate who has equanimous support in all the three parties.

It is said that BJP leaders are now in touch with some opposition legislators who were about to change sides under Operation Lotus but could not do so due to last-minute hitches. So, if the BJP fields its third candidate, the election scene might turn tipsy turvy. Exactly for this fear, it is said, H D Deve Gowda is reluctant to fight the election for Rajya Sabha seat as he does not want to lose his face again.

For the second Congress candidate to win, the party needs the support of the JD(S). At the same time, the BJP will have surplus 29 votes after ensuring the victory of two. It has bright chances of winning if it can manage 16 votes through the second preference votes. While the Congress and the JD(S) plan to floor the government by electing seasoned parliamentarians, H D Deve Gowda and Mallikarjun Kharge, the BJP, which knows that this combination could be lethal, plans to derail the election for one among them.

As per the current proposal, Congress candidate will be Mallikarjun Kharge and Deve Gowda will represent the JD(S) with Congress support. It is learnt that B K Hariprasad has requested Deve Gowda through his confidantes to allow him to become a member of Rajya Sabha for one more term if Gowda is not interested to fight the election.