6 candidates in fray for 4 RS seats from K'taka, contest heats up for fourth seat
Bengaluru, Jun 3: Six candidates are in the fray for the June 10 Rajya Sabha poll to four seats from Karnataka, necessitating a heated contest for the fourth seat.
Despite not having an adequate number of votes to win the fourth seat from the state Assembly, all the three political parties in the state -- BJP, Congress and JD(S) -- have fielded candidates for the seat, forcing an election.
The six candidates in the fray for Rajya Sabha polls from the state are -- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-politician Jaggesh and outgoing MLC Lehar Singh Siroya from the BJP, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and state general secretary Mansoor Ali Khan from the Congress, and former MP D Kupendra Reddy from the JD(S).
Among the candidates, Sitharaman and Jairam Ramesh are seeking re-election from the state.
Despite JD(S) seeking support to ensure Reddy's election to the Upper House of the parliament, the Congress did not withdrawn its second candidate Khan from the fray on Friday, the last day for withdrawal of nomination, and has issued a whip to all its MLAs asking them to vote for the party's candidates.
The JD(S) had sought Congress' support by invoking secularism and to keep communal forces away. JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda is even said to have discussed with Congress President Sonia Gandhi in this regard.
The Congress had in turn asked the JD(S) to support its candidate Khan, and return the favour, reminding the regional party that it had supported its patriarch and former PM Deve Gowda's election to Rajya Sabha last time.
Announcement of Khan's name as the party's second candidate was a surprise move by the Congress, as it has adequate number of votes to win just one seat.
Following this move, the ruling BJP too announced the candidature of Siroya, despite having numbers to comfortably win only two seats.
The election to four Rajya Sabha seats is necessitated as the term of office of members Nirmala Sitharaman and K C Ramamurthy of BJP, and Jairam Ramesh -- is due to expire on June 30. The fourth member Oscar Fernandes of the Congress passed away last year.
A candidate needs the support of 45 MLAs to win, and based on their strength in the Legislative Assembly, the BJP can win two seats and the Congress one.
After electing two Rajya Sabha candidates (Sitharaman and Jaggesh) on its own strength in the Assembly, the BJP will be left with an additional 32 MLAs votes.
The Congress will be left with 24 MLAs votes after electing Jairam Ramesh, while the JD(S) has only 32 MLAs, which is not sufficient to win a seat.
Counting of votes will take place on June 10 at 5 pm, which is after the polling hours.
Official sources said, as there are three candidates for the fourth seat and none of them have adequate number of votes to win, a situation may arise where the second and third preferential votes may have to be counted if necessary.
There are talks within political circles that the BJP may be at advantage if preferential votes were to be counted.
Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah in response to a question said, "Why should we withdraw our candidate (Khan)? We have fielded him because we want to win."
"We expect lawmakers to cast conscience votes. I can't tell you now who will vote for us," he said, hinting at the possibility of cross-voting.
While JD(S) leader H D Revanna said one has to wait and watch what happens on the polling day, and his party expected the Congress to keep up its words of supporting secular forces.
"Ask Congress whether they have had any internal understanding with BJP to help the saffron party?" he said.
However, BJP leaders have expressed confidence of winning three of the four seats it is contesting in.
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27 arrested in minor girl rape case in Kerala
Pathanamthitta (PTI): As many as 23 people were arrested and four minors were apprehended in connection with the alleged sexual abuse of a Dalit girl in the district, police on Sunday said.
Ten more FIRs have been filed in the case in two police stations in Pathanamthitta district based on the statements of the girl, a release issued by Pathanamthitta District Police Chief said.
A total of 17 people were arrested, and four minors were apprehended in connection with seven cases registered by the Pathanamthitta police and six individuals have been nabbed by the Elavumthitta police, the release said.
Across both stations, a total of 27 accused have been arrested in the cases, it added.
A special investigation team has been formed to conduct a comprehensive probe into the incident, with Pathanamthitta DYSP P S Nandakumar leading the team under the supervision of District Police Chief V G Vinod Kumar, the release said.
The team comprises 25 police officers from various ranks and stations.
The District Police Chief will review the investigation’s progress daily, the release said.
The investigation revealed that several of the accused met the girl at the private bus stand in Pathanamthitta. She was then taken to various locations in vehicles and subjected to abuse, police said.
The probe also found that the girl while she was studying Plus-Two class last year was taken by a youth who was acquainted with her through Instagram to a rubber plantation in Ranni and raped her along with three others.
Police said that the investigation found that she was gang raped at Pathanamthitta general hospital in January 2024.
Police are also focusing on gathering scientific evidence and examining mobile phones and other items as part of the probe.
A detailed investigation is ongoing, the District Police Chief stated.
The girl, who is now 18 years old, has alleged in her complaint that she was sexually abused by 62 individuals since the age of 13.
The police said that they received evidence indicating that the girl was exploited by her sports trainers, fellow athletes and classmates.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, V D Satheesan, demanded that the government should immediately appoint a Special Investigation Team headed by a woman IPS officer.
The brutal harassment the Pathanamthitta girl suffered was also proof of the shortcomings and weakness of our systems, the LoP added.
He stressed the need to make the counselling system more effective in state schools and change the mode of teaching in a way that directly addresses the problems faced by children.
Calling for immediate arrest of all the accused, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a detailed action-taken report from authorities within three days and emphasised on fair and time-bound investigation to deliver justice.
The Kerala Women's Commission (KWC) has registered a case on its own and its chairperson P Sathi Devi has directed the Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police to immediately submit a report in this regard, the Commission said in a release.
The matter came to light during counselling conducted by the Child Welfare Committee, after the victim's teachers at an educational institution informed the panel about noticeable changes in her behaviour.
The Committee, subsequently, notified the police and an investigation is on.
