Despite efforts from the Janata Dal (Secular) and central Congress leadership, a possible agreement over the election to the fourth Rajya Sabha seat from the State failed, resulting in the BJP candidate winning the seat.
JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda is learnt to have spoken to AICC president Sonia Gandhi seeking her support soon after the elections were announced, and even a last-minute intervention by CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Thursday also failed to cut the ice between the two parties. Over the last week, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy was also in touch with Congress general secretary in charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala, but the talks did not progress well. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha M. Mallikarjun Kharge is also learnt to have intervened in the issue.
