BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Thursday dismissed allegations of cross voting in the election to the Legislative Council and maintained that he did not hatch any plot to ensure the victory of Congress candidates, except providing training to the party MLAs in a resort to ensure that not a single vote is rejected.
“This is a secret ballot. I am not aware of the happenings in other parties,” he told reporters here. On the alleged horse-trading prior to polling, Shivakumar said, “I have no information about this. I don’t know who voted for our candidates. It was a secret ballot. Who knows who cross voted. They voted confidentially. I did not approach MLAs from other parties for votes.”
Defending BJP’s expelled MLAs ST Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar for backing his party, the CM said, “BJP expelled them and we took advantage of it. We just showed them the right way.”
Shivakumar was visibly upbeat over the victory of Congress candidates, especially that of the party’s fifth candidate, Vinay Karthik. After addressing reporters, he left for Tirupati to fulfill his vows. This is his first electoral success after becoming CM.
AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the Congress victory a mandate for its “good governance” in the state.
Legislators of Karnataka have approved the stellar and outstanding work of the ruling Congress in the past three years. Ignoring their party affiliation, they gave their approval for the Congress’ guarantee and other schemes through this election, he said.
