2 from Cong, 1 each from BJP, JD-S elected to RS

Results were announced by Karnataka Assembly Secretary after deadline ended for withdrawal today

AICC General Secretary B K Hariprasad and party spokesman Rajiv Gowda were today declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka. BJP's Prabhakar Kore and JD-S' Kupendra Reddy also made it to the Upper House of Parliament as only four candidates were left in the fray for an equal number of seats.

The results were announced by Karnataka Assembly Secretary P Omprakasha, who is also the returning officer, after the deadline ended for withdrawal today. Ignoring the claim of former External Affairs Minister S M Krishna for renomination, Congress had plumped for Gowda, a professor at the Indian Institute of Management here.

Krishna, a former chief minister who is set to retire from Rajya Sabha on June 25, lost out mainly on account of his age (83 years) to 50-year-old Gowda, party sources said.

Gowda was an aspirant for the Bangalore North Lok Sabha seat in the recent polls, but failed to get the ticket. Given its strength in the 225-member Assembly, the ruling Congress in the state can easily win two seats and BJP and JD-S one each. Playing it safe, Congress dropped the idea of fielding a third candidate.