JD(S) nominee Farook files papers, is worth Rs 780 crore

BENGALURU: With Congress remaining silent on JD(S)’ demand to part with one of the four seats for the Rajya Sabha polls, the latter gave a nod to its nominee B M Farook to file his nomination papers on Friday.
Farook, a Mangaluru businessman, had contested the RS polls from JD(S) in 2016 and lost after seven party legislators cross-voted for Congress candidate K C Ramamurthy. JD(S) suspended the seven MLAs, who are all set to join the Congress after the RS elections. They are expected to vote for Congress candidates this time. Of the four seats, Congress can win two on its own and needs support of Independents and others for the third. Each candidate has to get 44 first preference votes. Congress has 122 MLAs and falls short of 10 votes to get the third candidate elected.


The strength of JD(S) has depleted from 40 to 30 MLAs. While seven were suspended, two quit to join the BJP and one died. The party was banking on Congress to transfer its surplus votes by not fielding a third candidate.

Farook, accompanied by party leaders P G R Sindhia, Madhu Bangarappa and others, submitted his nomination papers. He said: “I agreed to contest as JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda wanted representation for a Kannadiga from the minority community in the Rajya Sabha.”

Congress is expected to announce the names on Sunday, with Monday being the last date for filing of the nomination papers. The polls are on March 23.