BENGALURU: The Opposition BJP, which managed to win two of seven Council seats in Thursday’s elections, was rattled by cross-voting by its MLAs. While party leaders admitted that three of its legislators cross-voted, it is not clear if four BJP MLAs assigned to vote for NDA alliance partner JDS followed the party’s directions.
Raghu Kautilya and Lingaraj Patil were declared elected to the Council, securing 29 and 27 votes respectively. JDS candidate Govindaraju received just 14 votes. The BJP has allotted 30 votes each to its two candidates, and four votes to the JDS. However, the JDS, which has 18 MLAs, got just 14 votes.
Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka said they would soon know the details of the three party MLAs who cross-voted, and the party would take action in that regard.
After the results were announced, he told the media that they had assigned 30 votes each to two of its candidates, Patil and Kautilya. While one vote assigned to Kautilya was invalid, three MLAs who were asked to vote for Patil cross-voted. He said the BJP had allotted four votes to the JDS candidate.
“Those who have betrayed the party will be caught,” he said. Apart from allotting four votes, the BJP had also asked its MLAs to give their second preference votes to the JDS, he said. Ashoka said they are discussing the issue of cross-voting in the party forum.
BJP State President BY Vijayendra said once they get more information about who cross-voted and why, they would discuss the future course of action.
Yatnal votes for BJP
Expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Yatnal said he was elected MLA on the BJP symbol, and as long as he continues to be an MLA on the party symbol, it is his moral obligation to vote as per the party high command’s directions. Several BJP leaders, including MLAs, had called him over phone and requested him to vote for the party candidate.
