RajyaSabhaElection – Kharge Thanks Sonia Gandhi After Securing Karnataka Seat
RajyaSabhaElection – Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has expressed gratitude to senior party leader Sonia Gandhi after being elected to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka without opposition. Speaking shortly after the election process concluded, Kharge acknowledged Gandhi’s role in his long political journey and said she had repeatedly entrusted him with responsibilities that allowed him to work for the public.
Kharge Reflects on Political Journey
While interacting with journalists, Kharge noted that the Rajya Sabha victory marked the 13th election of his political career. He said he remained thankful for the opportunities he had received over the years, adding that Sonia Gandhi had consistently supported his efforts to serve people through various public roles.
Four Candidates Elected Without Contest
Kharge was one of four candidates who secured seats in the Upper House from Karnataka after being elected unopposed. The election process reached a conclusion when only four valid candidates remained for the state’s four vacant Rajya Sabha positions. As a result, the voting that had been scheduled for June 18 was no longer required.
The final list of successful candidates included educationist Mansoor Ali Khan, the son of former Union Minister K. Rahman Khan, Congress leader and party media department chairman Pawan Khera, and M. Nagaraja, a former member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission who represented the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Nomination Scrutiny Decides Outcome
Election officials said the contest became uncontested after the scrutiny of nomination papers. An independent candidate’s nomination was rejected during the verification process, reducing the number of eligible contestants to four. Since the number of valid candidates matched the number of available seats, all four were declared elected without the need for polling.
Election Commission’s Nationwide Schedule
The Election Commission had earlier announced biennial elections for 24 Rajya Sabha seats across multiple states. The notification for these elections was issued on June 1 as part of the regular process for filling vacancies in the Upper House of Parliament.
Among the states going to Rajya Sabha elections, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat each account for four seats. Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh have three seats each, while Jharkhand has two seats. One seat each is scheduled for election in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Manipur and Meghalaya.
Bypolls Also Announced for Vacant Seats
Alongside the biennial elections, the Election Commission also issued notifications for Rajya Sabha by-elections in several states. These bypolls are being conducted to fill one vacant seat each in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Odisha.
The latest developments complete an important phase of the Rajya Sabha election process, with several candidates securing entry to Parliament without facing a contest. The Karnataka outcome, in particular, highlighted the smooth conclusion of the nomination process after the number of candidates matched the number of available seats.