Bengaluru, June 8 -- The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its official candidates for the 2026 Rajya Sabha and Karnataka Legislative Council elections, bringing an end to intense political speculation in Karnataka. The list, approved by the party's Central Election Committee, names OBC leader Prof. M. Nagaraj as the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha from Karnataka, while senior party leaders Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya have been fielded for the Legislative Council elections.

The announcement has come as a major setback for alliance partner Janata Dal (Secular), effectively ending expectations of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda securing another term in the Rajya Sabha.

BJP's decision upsets JD(S) calculations

The J...