GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 28th Feb. The ruling Congress in Karnataka emerged victorious in three seats while the BJP secured one in the state’s Rajya Sabha elections held on Tuesday. However, the process was marred by instances of cross-voting, dealing a setback to the saffron party.
Ajay Maken, G C Chandrasekhar, and Syed Naseer Hussain, representing the Congress, along with Narayansa K Bhandage from the BJP, clinched seats in the Upper House. The elections, wherein elected MLAs served as voters, saw a total of five candidates contending for the four available seats.
Official sources disclosed that each MLA’s vote carried a value of 100, with a candidate requiring 4,441 votes for election. Maken, Hussain, and Bhandage secured 4,700 votes each, while Chandrashekhar garnered 4,500. JD(S) candidate D Kupendra Reddy fell short with 3,600 votes.
The BJP voiced discontent over instances of cross-voting within its ranks, notably BJP MLA S T Somashekar’s vote for Maken and another party legislator A Shivaram Hebbar’s abstention. The BJP indicated intentions to explore legal recourse, considering a complaint to Speaker U T Khader for their disqualification from the assembly for violating the party whip.
Somashekar, a former Congress member who joined the BJP, cited conscience as his reason for voting for the Congress candidate. Similarly, Hebbar abstained, claiming adherence to his conscience. These actions drew criticism from BJP MLC N Ravi Kumar, who termed them as self-betrayal.
Protests erupted in Bengaluru, with BJP and JD(S) workers staging demonstrations against Somashekar. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar ridiculed the BJP and JD(S), remarking on the irony of their positions.
Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the JD(S) for alleged attempts to lure and threaten Congress MLAs, raising questions about their conscience. An FIR was lodged regarding these alleged threats.
The election outcome underscores the complex political landscape in Karnataka, with cross-voting controversies likely to prompt further scrutiny and legal action.
