Kharge among 4 elected unopposed to RS

Bengaluru: AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge was among four candidates declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka Thursday after the withdrawal deadline ended and only four nominees remained in the fray for four seats.Other elected members are Mansoor Ali Khan, educationist and son of former Union minister K Rahman Khan; Congress media and publicity department chairperson Pawan Khera, both Congress; and M Nagaraja, a former KPSC member and lone nominee from BJP. Officials said the June 18 election became uncontested after scrutiny led to the rejection of an independent candidate's nomination, leaving only four valid candidates in contest. Members of the Karnataka legislative assembly were to vote at Vidhana Soudha, but the process was called off. The seats had fallen vacant following the terms of BJP members Iranna Kadadi and Narayana Koragappa, Mallikarjun Kharge, and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda ending on June 25.