BENGALURU: Upset over cross voting by its MLAs in the Thursday’s election to the Legislative Council, the BJP high command has reportedly summoned state unit president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka, and state in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agarwal to New Delhi on June 23.
According to sources Vijayendra is likely to reach New Delhi on Sunday itself.
Union Minister and JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy is also upset over the BJP state leadership for the humiliating defeat of his party (NDA) candidate in the election.
Notably, 11 MLAs from BJP and JDS cross voted, which resulted in the humiliating defeat of the JDS candidate. Five Congress candidates polled 151 votes though it had the backing of only 140 MLAs. The BJP, which has 63 MLAs, won two seats. But its candidates received only 56 votes as seven MLAs’ votes reportedly went in favour of the Congress.
There were doubts about BJP’s surplus votes shifting to its alliance partner JDS as its lone candidate polled only 14 votes. At least four of the JDS’ 18 MLAs had allegedly cross voted. But Vijayendra and Ashoka issued a statement suspecting more JDS MLAs of cross voting in the election.
“I have obtained all information on cross voting and money changing hands. Action will be taken against those found guilty of cross voting and we will also ensure that they will never become MLAs again,” Ashoka said.
“I spoke to Kumaraswamy on Thursday night and he too was in shock. We discussed strategies to give a fitting reply to those who had hatched a plot,” he said, indirectly referring to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and other Congress leaders.
The BJP high command has taken the issue seriously as Union minister Kumaraswamy’s prestige is at stake. Ahead of the election, BJP president Nitin Nabin and Kumaraswamy held talks on fielding a JDS nominee as NDA candidate. After discussing with Vijayendra, Kumaraswamy decided to field his party’s candidate hoping that the NDA will give a tough fight to Congress party’s fifth candidate Vinay Karthik, who eventually won by bagging 32 votes. JDS candidate Govindaraju bagged only 14 votes.
BJP panel to probe
BJP on Friday set up a three-member panel headed by MLC CT Ravi to investigate cross voting in the Council election. Vijayendra issued an order in this regard. BJP state vice-president N Mahesh and MLA Mahesh Tenginakai are the other members of the panel, which has been asked to submit a report by June 25. Disciplinary action will be taken based on the panel’s recommendations.
Meanwhile, MLAs Byrati Basavaraju, Chandru Lamani, Duryodhan Aihole and Krishna Naik clarified that they did not indulge in cross voting. Vijayendra accused the Congress of hatching a plot and floating the names of some BJP MLAs to create a rift within the party.
Leader of Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said the four votes the BJP earmarked went to its alliance partner JDS. “We should not doubt anyone. We have made it clear that we will take action against those who had cross voted,” he said.