Vijay Mallya, wanted in India for billions of rupees in unpaid loans, resigned from the Rajya Sabha earlier this month.
Highlights
- Janata Dal (Secular) leaders met to nominate Rajya Sabha member
- Real estate developer named BM Farooq seen as frontrunner
- But decision deferred after an internal tiff
At a plush luxury resort on the outskirts of Bengaluru, leaders of Karnataka's Janata Dal (Secular) party got into a huddle this afternoon to announce the party's Rajya Sabha candidate.
It was an apt setting -- keeping with the party's tradition of nominating big businessmen to the Upper House of Parliament. In the past, it sent MAM Ramaswamy and liquor baron Vijay Mallya.
To replace Mr Mallya, who resigned his seat after his passport was cancelled over billions of rupees in unpaid loans by his firm, the JD(S) is believed to have picked a rather low-key real estate developer named BM Farooq.
When NDTV met Mr Farooq at the
Bengaluru office of his Fiza Group, he claimed he is a well-established local businessman, with close links to JD(S) leaders HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy.
"The JD(S) wanted to field a Kannadiga candidate. The future belongs to regional parties now. I am a close associate of Kumaraswamy and H D Deve Gowda," said Mr Farooq.
After a meeting to find their Rajya Sabha nominee, the JD(S) has deferred the decision for now.
Although he told NDTV that his business interests are in renewable energy, a closer look at Mr Farooq's company's financials threw up a more complex picture.
The only project that his company appeared to have completed is a luxury mall in Mangalore.
As for Mr Farooq's renewable energy interests, they are divided into eight companies, of which almost seven have paid up capital as low as Rs 1 lakh - a miniscule amount for a capital-intensive sector.
His company website did not indicate a single wind energy project that had been completed.
But as the legislators' meeting at the luxury resort neared its end, an internal tiff started. Danish Ali, a JD(S) leader also in the race for the Rajya Sabha seat, walked out, openly claiming his party was being influenced by money power.
BM Farooq said he is a well-established local businessman with links to JD(S) leaders HD Deve Gowda and HD Kumaraswamy.
"From my party (there are) no aspirants other than me," he fumed. "If I am not (a) candidate then it is some moneybag."
The JD(S), which has 40 legislators, is short of six to secure a Rajya Sabha seat. Mr Ali claims his party bosses told him only a super-rich candidate can secure the extra support.
The JD(S) leader, Mr Kumaraswamy, denied charges that they have auctioned the seat to Mr Farooq.
But the squabble has led to the party defering the announcement of Mr Farooq's name. Some say this is only a formality, meant to give him more time to 'manage' extra legislators from other parties.