BENGALURU: Ahead of the June 10 Rajya Sabha polls, the state BJP is holding a legislators’ meeting on Wednesday to explain the voting pattern to the MLAs. The party, with 122 MLAs including two independents, can win two Rajya Sabha seats without any hassle and is eyeing the third seat, hoping that its calculations work. Of the total 225 MLAs in the Assembly, BJP has 122 legislators including 119 of its own, two independents and one BSP MLA who joined the party, Congress has 69 MLAs and JDS 32. There is also the Speaker. As the polls are for four seats, BJP that has fielded three candidates -- Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, actor-turned-politician Jaggesh and senior leader Lehar Singh Siroya -- hopes to win all the three seats.
Bommanahalli MLA and Chief Whip of BJP in the Assembly Satish Reddy told TNIE that Rajya Sabha polls work under certain calculations. Each MLA will have 100 points and the candidate contesting the polls has to get close to 45 MLAs which also means 4,500 points. Technically, 4,481 points are sufficient, and the 38 remaining points from both first and second candidates will be carried forward to the third candidate. Of the 122 MLAs, 90 will cast their votes for the first and second candidates. BJP will still have votes of 32 MLAs or 3,200 points and with the additional 38 points, the third candidate will have 3,238 points, he explained.
This is why BJP is stressing on the second-preference votes. In fact, all three parties are eyeing the maximum number of these votes to ensure victory of their respective candidates. Reddy said they are issuing a whip on Wednesday to ensure that these votes go to their third candidate. “The voting pattern will be explained to the MLAs during the meeting on Wednesday to get the required scores for the third candidate. Instructions have come from the party central office too,” he added.
BJP sources, however, said that if Congress and JDS come together, chances of the third candidate winning are less. But the party is leaving nothing to chance, as anything can happen at the last minute. “We are hoping to win the third seat with a photo-finish,’’ they added.