Bengaluru: The lobbying has already begun among parties for four Rajya Sabha seats in the state assembly which will become vacant in April even as it remains to be seen if the Election Commission declares the notification for these seats before the Assembly polls or later.

The term of K Rehman Khan, Rajiv Chandrashekhar, Basavaraja Patil Sedam and R Ramakrishna will end on April 2.

Even while political parties remain curious about the timing of the elections, lobbying has begun for these seats in both Congress and the BJP. If the Rajyasabha election will be conducted before the state assembly polls, Congress would win all three seats easily. However, it is said that the possibility of Election Commission publishing the schedule before assembly elections is very less.

As per the guidelines, the schedule can be published six months before or after the actual date of the end of the term. The EC can publish it even after declaring notification for the assembly elections, said an official.

Rehman Khan of Congress and Rajiv Chandrashekhar, who won as an independent candidate is trying for another term. Jaffer Sharif, Saleem Ahmed and many others have started lobbying to get an opportunity under minority quota.

BJP would get one seat and party seniors would decide on the candidate. But, JDS, which has lost its 7 MLAs during last Rajya Sabha elections has requested not to conduct Rajya Sabha elections till the state assembly polls.