If whipping up Kannada sentiments is how parties are wooing voters for the Assembly elections, the last day of filing of nominations for the four Rajya Sabha seats also witnessed a similar trend.
The BJP’s candidate and two-time Independent Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar and three nominees of Congress — L. Hanumanthaiah, Syed Nasir Hussain, and G.C. Chandrashekar filed their nominations.
The Janata Dal (Secular) candidate B.M. Farook, who had already filed his nomination papers on Friday, filed his papers once again on Monday.
BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa, who accompanied Mr. Chandrasekhar, had to field questions as to why a non-Kannadiga has been nominated by the BJP as its candidate. “Rajeev Chandrasekhar has fought for Kannada issues and has been a resident of Karnataka for several years now. He is a Kannadiga and has taken up several pro-people campaigns in Bengaluru,” Mr. Yeddyurappa justified, and also reiterated that Mr. Chandrasekhar had joined the BJP.
The Congress’ third nominee, Mr. G.C. Chandrashekar, who faces a tough fight as the Congress on its own does not have the numerical strength, also whipped up Kannada sentiments soon after he filed his nomination. He said he was confident of winning the elections on the strength of the government’s work, and that he belonged to Karnataka and would protect the State’s interests.
Mr. Farook said he was filing his papers again on the directions of party national president H.D. Deve Gowda. “It’s a good (auspicious) time, so I am filing again,” said Mr. Farook, who was accompanied by former Minister H.D. Revanna and Mahalakshmi Layout MLA Gopalaiah.
