Industrialist BM Farooq likely to get Rajya Sabha ticket from JD(S)

May 24, 2016

Mangaluru, May 24: Even though the Janata Dal (Secular) is yet to announce its candidate for the looming Rajya Sabha polls, the name of industrialist BM Farooq is doing rounds for the sole seat the party can win on its own.

Mr Farooq, who holds an Engineering degree, is a well-known businessman and real-estate tycoon in Bengaluru and Mangaluru. He is a brother of Mangaluru North MLA Mohiuddin Bava. He is also the president of Bengaluru based Bearys' Welfare Association.

Biennial elections to 57 Rajya Sabha seats including four in Karnataka is expected to take place on June 11. This includes the seat vacated by liquor baron Vijay Mallya.

The BJP has already chosen Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu once again as its candidate from Karnataka.The ruling Congress in the State is undecided on the two candidates it can send to the Upper House with the names of former Union ministers P Chidambaram and Oscar Fernandes doing the rounds for the polls.

The fourth seat is up for grabs with JD (S), which has 40 members in the Assembly, hoping to put up an Independent and win with the support of other parties.

The JD(S) Legislature Party will formally meet in Bengaluru on May 26 to select the candidate. Party state president HD Kumaraswamy said they will field a personality from Karnataka but did not reveal if the candidate would be an industrialist.

Meanwhile, Mr Farooq has expressed his willingness to enter the parliament and also expressed hope that JD(S) would give him an opportunity to serve the people.

Comments

All like to become politicians for their own benefit.
Finally they divide the votes and it will help to bring RSS terrorists.
Selfish fellows never think of their community.

all the best sir.

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Campus politics: DKS pushes to restore student elections in Karnataka banned since 1989

News Network

November 26,2025

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Karnataka is taking its first concrete steps towards lifting a three-decade-old ban on student elections in colleges and universities. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced Wednesday that the state government will form a small committee to study the reintroduction of campus polls, a practice halted in 1989 following incidents of violence.

Speaking at a 'Constitution Day' event organised by the Karnataka Congress, Mr. Shivakumar underscored the move's aim: nurturing new political leadership from the grassroots.

"Recently, (Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi wrote a letter to me and Chief Minister (Siddaramaiah) asking us to think about restarting student elections," Shivakumar stated. "I'm announcing today that we'll form a small committee and seek a report on this."

Student elections were banned in Karnataka in 1989, largely due to concerns over violence and the infiltration of political party affiliates into campus life. The ban effectively extinguished vibrant student bodies and the pipeline of young leaders they often produced.

Mr. Shivakumar, who also serves as the Karnataka Congress president, said that former student leaders will be consulted to "study the pros and cons" of the re-introduction.

Acknowledging the history of the ban, he added, "There were many criminal activities taking place back then. We’ll see how we can conduct (student) elections by regulating such criminal activities."

The Deputy CM reminisced about his own journey, which began on campus. He recalled his political activism at Sri Jagadguru Renukacharya College leading to his first Assembly ticket in 1985 at the age of 23. "That's how student leadership was at the time. Such leadership has gone today. College elections have stopped," he lamented, adding that for many, college elections were "like a big movement" where leaders were forged.

The move, driven by the Congress high command's push to cultivate young talent, will face scrutiny from academics and university authorities who have, in the past, expressed concern that the return of polls could disrupt the peaceful academic environment and turn campuses into political battlegrounds.

Comments