Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : The Congress on Wednesday named thrice Rajya Sabha MP and senior leader BK Hariprasad as the joint opposition candidate for the post of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman for which elections are scheduled for Thursday.
Hariprasad, 64, will take on the ruling dispensation nominee Harivansh of the JDU with the BJP comfortably placed on the numbers.
Hariprasad, a former long-time general secretary of the Congress, is a veteran leader from Karnataka.
Harivansh, on the other hand, is likely to get support from non-NDA parties like the BJD, TRS and TSRCP among others.
The Congress deliberated for long before zeroing in on Hariprasad who commands considerable respect across the opposition camp.
The opposition is aware of the numbers challenge but has followed the same logic to contest as it followed for the presidential and vice presidential elections.
It’s a battle of ideologies and a contest is warranted, senior Congress leaders feel.
Rest of the opposition, including Sharad Pawar-led NCP, Mamata Banerjee-led TMC and the Left Front pulled out of the race taking moral high ground that they did not have the numbers to crack the election.
“The Congress as the single largest party in the Rajya Sabha should field its nominee,” opposition parties said.
Hariprasad and Harivansh have both filed their nominations for the polls scheduled for 11 am.
The post fell vacant on July 2 and the Constitution mandates filling it at the earliest possible.
