BJP president Nitin Nabin on Friday summoned Karnataka party chief Vijayendra Yediyurappa and some other leaders over cross-voting in the state Legislative Council polls. Nabin has taken a serious exception to the cross-voting in the elections and asked Yediyurappa and other leaders to meet him on June 23. The BJP in Karnataka formed a three-member committee to probe the cross-voting by its party MLAs in favour of the ruling Congress candidate in the MLC election.
In the first electoral battle since the new government under Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took charge in Karnataka, the ruling Congress on Thursday won five of the seven Legislative Council seats that went to polls, while the opposition BJP bagged two.
The results also brought to light cross-voting by BJP and JD(S) legislators in favour of Congress candidates, as the total number of votes received by the ruling party is 151, which is 11 votes more than the expected 140 votes.
BY Vijayendra calls cross-voting 'very unfortunate'
Karnataka BJP state president BY Vijayendra on Friday said the cross-voting in the Legislative Council elections was "very unfortunate" and confirmed that the party has constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the matter. Speaking to the media, Vijayendra said the MLC result was unfortunate, alleging four cross-votes, and added that a fact-finding committee headed by CT Ravi has been formed with a report due by June 25. He said he will visit Delhi next week to brief senior leaders.
"What happened in the MLC elections is very unfortunate. According to us, there were four cross-votes. We have taken this seriously. We have announced a fact-finding committee headed by CT Ravi, and we expect a report before the 25th. Next week, I will go to Delhi and meet with all senior leaders and brief them on the situation," he said.
11 NDA MLAs in Karnataka under scanner
According to reports, at least 11 NDA MLAs in Karnataka indulged in cross-voting during the MLC polls, a development that has left the party's top leadership upset. Preliminary information suggests that three BJP and eight JD(S) MLAs allegedly cross-voted in this election, and one BJP MLA's vote was declared invalid.
Eight candidates were in the fray for seven MLC seats to be elected by MLAs, for which voting was held on Thursday at Vidhana Soudha. Votes were subsequently counted in the evening.
Five candidates fielded by Congress emerged victorious
Five candidates fielded by the Congress -- Thippannappa Kamknoor, P V Mohan, B K Hariprasad (KPCC president), Shivanna B S, and Vinay Karthik Prakash -- emerged victorious. BJP's two candidates -- Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R -- also won. JD(S)' lone candidate, Govindaraju, faced defeat.
Admitting cross-voting by BJP MLAs, senior party leader R Ashoka on Thursday said that those who betrayed the party will be identified and a decision will be taken on action against them. BJP state president Vijayendra said, "Who did cross-voting and why? Once we get information, the party will decide."
BJP forms panel to probe cross-voting
In a statement, the saffron party said that it has come to light that there was cross voting during the MLC elections. the BJP Karnataka unit has constituted a three-member committee to investigate cross-voting by its MLAs in the Legislative Council elections held on June 18. The committee comprises MLC C T Ravi, BJP state vice president N Mahesh, and MLA Mahesh Tenginkayi.
As speculations are rife about those who were involved in cross-voting in favour of the Congress candidate instead of the party candidate, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said the Congress was behind spreading rumours about some BJP MLAs, projecting them as those who betrayed their party.
"It could be Basavaraj, it could be Chandru Lamani, it could be Krishna Nayak. By floating different names like this, Congress leaders are trying to create mischief and spark infighting within the BJP," the Shikaripura MLA said.
He said that this is not something the BJP leadership in Karnataka is going to lose its peace of mind over. "We have already announced a three-member team consisting of senior leader C T Ravi, former Minister from Kollegal, and Mahesh Tenginakayi. Within three or four days, the truth of the matter will come out," he said.
BJP central leadership takes cross-voting seriously
According to BJP sources, the party's central leadership has taken the cross-voting seriously. It has summoned the state leaders along with national general secretary Radha Mohan Das Agrawal on June 23. Meanwhile, BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj, whose name is doing the rounds as one of the MLAs who cross-voted in favour of the Congress candidate, met the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka at his residence.
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