Former PM Deve Gowda elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Karnataka

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) chief HD Deve Gowda, as well as former leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were among the four candidates for Rajya Sabha from Karanataka who were on Friday declared elected unopposed.

The state's ruling BJP sent to Parliament two MPs- Ashok Gasti and Eranna Kadadi.

Speaking to , Kharge, thanked Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi and party MP Rahul Gandhi. He said, "I thank Sonia Gandhi ji and Rahul Gandhi ji as they have given me an opportunity to serve at Rajya Sabha for the first time."

The Janata Dal (Secular) had on Monday announced that former Prime Minister, Gowda has decided to contest the Rajya Sabha elections.

The four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka, represented by Rajeev Gowda and B K Hariprasad of Congress, Prabhakar Kore of the BJP and D Kupendra Reddy of JDS will fall vacant with their retirement later this month.

( With inputs from ANI )