In an embarrassment to the BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections for four seats from Karnataka on Tuesday, one of its legislators cross-voted in favour of the Congress while another one did not turn up for polling — both defying the party’s whip — even as the Congress retained three seats and the BJP retained one. The Janata Dal (Secular), which had fielded its candidate, lost the election as it could not muster enough support.
Congress members — the former Union Minister Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussein, and G.C. Chandrashekar — and BJP candidate Narayansa K. Bhandage were declared elected on Tuesday evening. One of the richest politicians in the State and former Rajya Sabha member Kupendra Reddy of the JD(S), who was vying with Mr. Chandrashekar for the fourth seat, lost. This is his second loss in the Rajya Sabha elections after the 2022 defeat. This is also the second electoral setback for the NDA partners as they had earlier last week lost the byelection to the Legislative Council from the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency.
How many votes were polled
While 45 votes were needed by each candidate to win, Mr. Maken received 47 votes, and Mr. Hussein and Mr. Chandrashekar received 47 votes and 45 votes, respectively. Mr. Bhandage received 47 votes and Mr. Reddy 36 votes.
A total of 139 legislators, including 134 Congress legislators, voted in favour of the Congress candidates. In all, 222 members, out of the total 223 (the Assembly strength reduced by one after the death of Surpur MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik on Sunday), cast their votes in the election that had raised curiosity and threat of cross-voting after the entry of Mr. Reddy into the fray. All the votes were found valid.
Two detractors
While Mr. Somashekar cross-voted in favour of the Congress, BJP legislator representing Yellapur A. Shivaram Hebbar remained absent. The two have distanced themselves from the BJP activities in recent months. After casting his vote, Mr. Somashekar said he had cast a “conscience vote”. The legislator had said he was not bothered about the action the party would take, and that he would vote for the candidate who promises development fund to his constituency.
The two Independents, K.H. Puttasswamy Gowda representing Gauribidanur and Latha Mallikarjun representing Harapanahalli, along with Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha legislator from Melukote Darshan Puttannaiah and Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha founder and Gangavati legislator G. Janardhana Reddy, cast their votes in favour of the Congress.
Earlier, the Congress that had huddled its legislators at a hotel in the city, brought them to the Vidhan Soudha in buses. “The Congress legislature party late on Monday night also discussed instances of its members being lured or threatened to cross-vote,” Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that with just 19 members, the JD(S) need not have fielded its candidate. “Congress legislators were either lured or threatened to vote for the JD(S) candidate. For us, with 138 candidates there was no need to approach anyone,” he said. On the other hand, the former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that his party legislators were threatened over Assembly constituency funds, and criticised Mr. Somashekar for cross-voting. “Despite that, the election shows that the party remained united,” he said.
Soon after the elections, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok said the two BJP legislators had promised to vote for the party candidates, and that action would be initiated against them for defying the party whip.
Not the first case
BJP MLA representing Yeshwantpur constituency S.T. Somashekar cross-voting in favour of the Congress is not the first instance of such voting in the Rajya Sabha elections.
During the Rajya Sabha elections in 2016, eight Janata Dal (Secular) members cross-voted in favour of Congress candidate K.C. Ramamurthy, resulting in the defeat of JD(S) candidate B.M. Farooq. Similarly, in 2022, JD(S) legislator from Kolar Srinivas Gowda cross-voted in favour of the Congress while the vote of JD(S) legislator representing Gubbi S.R. Srinivas was declared invalid.
