Former PM HD Deve Gowda, Mallikarjun Kharge, two BJP leaders elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

BENGALURU: Former Prime Minister and JD(S)' chief HD Deve Gowda, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge and BJP leaders Ashok Gasti and Irana Kadadi were on Friday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka.

"Gowda, Kharge, Gasti and Kadadi have been duly elected to fill the seats in the Upper House in place of Kupendra Reddy of JDS, BK Hariprasad and Rajeev Gowda of the Congress, and Prabhakar Kore of the BJP, who are retiring on June 25 on the expiration of their term of office," returning officer MK Vishalakshi said in a statement.

Though the biennial elections were scheduled on June 19 in the event of a contest, the returning officer declared the results after the end of the last date of withdrawal of nomination, which was Friday, as there were no other candidates.

Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, 87, got elected to the Upper House with the support of the opposition Congress as his regional party has only 34 legislators, 10 short of the required 44 votes.