Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 12: Speculations have been rife about JD(S) supremo, H D Deve Gowda (87), contemplating a plunge into national politics by seeking to get elected to Rajya Sabha.

However, on Sunday January 12, Deve Gowda dismissed reports about him planning to contest the RS elections, and said that he was 'not interested'.

"I am not interested to go to the Rajya Sabha. My concern is to build and strengthen the party. I had declared earlier that I will not contest elections anymore," Gowda was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Gowda had represented Hassan Lok Sabha constituency for five consecuitve terms from 1991 to 2014. However, in the last Lok Sabha election, he gave his seat to his grandson, Prajwal Revanna, and migrated to neighbouring Tumakuru constituency. But he had to face ignominious defeat there. Prajwal won Hassan seat, but Deve Gowda tasted defeat at the hands of BJP candidate. In this election, both the Congress and JD(S) won one seat a piece, while BJP got 25 seats, with the other seat going to an independent candidate supported by the BJP.

Four Rajya Sabha seats will fall vacant in June this year. Rajeev Gowda and B K Harprasad from the Congress, Pabhakar Kore of the BJP and Kupendra Reddy of the JD(S) will retire. Deve Gowda plans to get elected to Rajya Sabha,it is said.

The state assembly has a strength of 224 out of which BJP has 117 members, Congress has 68 and the JD(S), 34. A candidate needs at least 44 votes to get elected to the Rajya Sabha. Winning two seats will be a cakewalk for the BJP. Congress is sure to get one seat. JD(S), which needs ten more votes, will have to rely on other parties to fill the gap.

Party's spokesperson, Tanveer Ahmedullah had, during the recent national executive meeting of the JD(S), had urged Deve Gowda to fight the Rajya Sabha election. He feels that Gowda's candidature will make it easier to get the balance ten votes from other parties. Even though Deve Gowda has expressed his reluctance, other leaders say that pressure is being exerted on Gowda to fight the election. In the meanwhile, the Congress may field Mallikarjun Kharge, K H Muniyappa or Muddahanume Gowda for the Rajya Sabha election.