Gowda seeks Cong support for RS candidate

Former prime minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H D Deve Gowda has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seek the support...

Former prime minister and Janata Dal (S) leader H D Deve Gowda has written to Congress president Sonia Gandhi to seek the support of her party for his Rajya Sabha nominee Danish Ali from Karnataka.

Sources said Gowda had pointed out to Sonia in his letter despatched on Wednesday that the JD(S) had supported two Congress candidates Anil Lad (in 2008) and B K Hariprasad (in 2004) and now,it was the Congresss turn to return the favour. Ali is a general secretary of the JD(S). Gowda had floated his name during the 2008 polls too,but he withdrew his name after a request from Sonia that he direct his MLAs to vote for Lad.

Health Minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad,said sources,had approached Gowda early this week to solicit his support. Before him,Karnataka Congress president R V Deshpande had also called on the JD(S) leader in Bangalore with the same request.

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There are a total of four vacancies in the Upper House from Karnataka,caused by the retirement of former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu,Congress senior leaders Oscar Fernandes and B K Hariprasad and JD(S) member M A M Ramaswamy.

The ruling BJP can win two seats. The Congress,which has 74 MLAs,can win one seat on its own. The JD(S) has 27 MLAs,20 short of the 47 needed by the party. The Congress and the JD(S) can bag the fourth seat by polling their votes,but in case they fail to do so,the game can get wide open. Seeing this possibility,several people with deep pockets are exploring their prospects.