Nirmala Sitharaman Files Nomination, Says She Will Learn Kannada

Bengaluru: Keen to shed the "outsider" tag, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today promised to learn Kannada and protect interest of Karnataka, as she filed her nomination for the June 11 biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from the state.

Speaking to reporters after filing her nomination on the last day to enter the fray, Ms Sitharaman, the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, said she will ensure Karnataka's interest in the Parliament.

"I have filed the nomination as BJP karyakarta, with Yeddyurappaji, other state leaders and Ananth Kumarji being there. I'm fully confident (of win)," She said.

"I will take care of interest of Karnataka in every way. I'm going to be a servant here being sent by honourable Prime Minister who calls himself Pradhan Sevak. I will be also a sevak, and because I will have to represent Karnataka, I will make sure that the interest of Karnataka will be ensured in the Parliament," she added.

Ms Sitharaman was accompanied by BJP state president BS Yeddyurappa, Union Minister Ananth Kumar and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Jagadish Shettar among others.

To a question, she said "I will learn Kannada, I know a little bit now, but I will learn to speak in Kannada."

Amid mounting public pressure including protests by Kannada groups against renomination of Union Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu from Karnataka, BJP Central Election Committee decided to field Ms Sitharaman in his place. Mr Naidu will be contesting from Rajasthan.

A social media campaign was launched against Mr Naidu's re-nomination on the ground that he had not done enough for Karnataka from where he secured three Rajya Sabha terms, and  that he did not even learn Kannada.

To a question on Mr Naidu, Ms Sitharaman said "Venkaiah Naiduji is a very senior leader of our party, a former president, we all respect him. He has done his best, we will continue the tradition... interest of Karnataka is safe in the hands of BJP and being led by Yeddyurappaji all of us will do our maximum best," she added.

Three Congress candidates including former Union ministers Jairam Ramesh, Oscar Fernandes and former IPS officer KC Ramamurthy and BM Farooq of Janata Dal (Secular) had yesterday filed their nominations.

Congress' decision to field third candidate, Mr Ramamurthy, has given tense moments to JD(S), which needs five additional votes to see its candidate through, as it has 40 members.

But to the JDS' discomfiture, five of its legislators, including Zameer Ahmed, have reportedly decided to back the third candidate of Congress.