Daijiworld's Special Political Correspondent from Bangalore (GA)

Bangalore, Mar 6: Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj will gain entry to Rajya Sabha from the state.  The elections for the 4 seats of Rajya Sabha from the state will be held on Tuesday March 28.  Accordingly BJP has decided to name Sushma as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections.

BJP national executive has already conveyed the message to state BJP leaders.  The sources here said that she would submit her nomination on the last day.

So far Sushma represented Uttar Pradesh in Rajya Sabha.  However, this time around, owing to the swinging political fortunes she has been forced to seek her fortune somewhere else.  So the national leaders have decided to field her from Karnataka.

Sushma is not at all new to the state.  She first shot to fame in the state after contesting Bellary MP seat against the Congress president Sonia Gandhi in 1999.  Though she could not manage to win against Sonia Gandhi, she had impressed many with her efforts to learn Kannada and her fiery speeches. 

But Sushma clad in gorgeous silk saris and a large 'bindiya' on her forehead could not win against Sonia who romped home by keeping everything such as her dress, speeches simple. Even the vicious campaign of 'videshi-swadeshi bahu' did not cut much ice with the electorate.

Yet there has been a loyal votebank which always rallied around Sushma Swaraj.  Keeping this in mind, the BJP heavyweights have decided to field Sushma this time around.

According to the present equations, the three major parties Congress, BJP and JD (S) can win a seat each.  But the fourth seat cannot be won by a single party unless it ties up with another.  But right now all the parties are sitting pretty crossing their fingers.  No one has come forward with an alliance for the fourth seat.

While Congress has named Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Rehman Khan as its candidate, senior leader Rajshekharmurthy will be fielded from JD (S), confirmed the sources.

(Caricature courtesy: Shekhar Gurera)