The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially nominated Prof. M. Nagaraja, a 93-year-old OBC leader and educationist, for the Rajya Sabha elections from Karnataka. This decision comes as former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda prepares to retire from the Rajya Sabha on June 25. The party's central election committee approved Nagaraja's candidacy late on June 7, 2026, and he must submit his nomination by 3 p.m. on June 8. Nagaraja, who has been affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) since his youth, has held various positions, including BJP State vice president and a member of the Karnataka Public Service Commission. His nomination is seen as a strategic move by the BJP to enhance its support among OBC voters, particularly in light of the recent political changes following Siddaramaiah's resignation as Chief Minister. Additionally, the BJP has nominated Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya for the Legislative Council elections, opting not to re-nominate any retiring MLCs. The elections for both the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council are set for June 18, 2026, with scrutiny of nominations on June 9 and withdrawal deadlines on June 11.