BENGALURU: With Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in Assembly R Ashoka scheduled to meet party national president Nitin Nabin in New Delhi on Tuesday, there was a buzz in political corridors in Bengaluru that the latter would take them to task over party legislators indulging in cross-voting in the recent MLC polls.
BJP state in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agrawal is also likely to accompany Vijayendra and Ashoka.
Some of the rivals of both Vijayendra and Ashoka within the BJP have set up a narrative that the high command will take action against the duo for their alleged failure in handling the MLC polls. “They may be replaced with new faces or some action will be initiated against them,” an MLA told The New Indian Express, adding that both the president and LoP posts would be given to those leaders who can take all 63 party MLAs into confidence and work together.
As many as 11 NDA MLAs, including some 5-6 from BJP and 6-7 from JDS, had cross-voted, helping the ruling Congress with the fifth MLC seat easily. The NDA candidate fielded by JDS had faced a humiliating defeat.
Following this, Vijayendra set up an inquiry committee headed by senior MLC CT Ravi, which is likely to give its interim report on Tuesday. The report is likely to reach Vijayendra by the time he meets Nitin, an informed source told TNIE.
Meanwhile, Vijayendra had announced plans to convene a legislature party meeting at the famous Dharmasthala Sri Manjunatha Swamy Temple to find out who cross-voted. He said that the party MLAs may be asked to take a sacred vow (truth test) before Lord Manjunatha. His move has only backfired, with senior MLAs, including former minister S Suresh Kumar, raising objections for dragging God into the controversy.
Interestingly, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries HD Kumaraswamy has already spoken to Nitin over phone and discussed the cross-voting issue.
Even as BJP and JDS leadership have aligned at the national level, it is yet to sync in Karnataka, which is key to face the ruling Congress in future polls, including the 2028 Assembly election, observed political analysts.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the alliance won 19 seats together, and hence the BJP high command is likely to instruct its state unit to continue with the alliance, they added.