4 Independents hold the key to fourth candidate’s victory
Four Independent MLAs in Karnataka hold the key to the victory of the fourth candidate in Rajya Sabha elections, with Congress and JD(S)-BJP claiming their support amidst allegations of cash-for-votes.
Bengaluru: Four Independent MLAs in Karnataka hold the key to the victory of the fourth candidate in elections to the four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka with both the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine claiming to have their support.
The claim led to Congress MLA from Ganiga P Ravi Kumar submitting a complaint to Bengaluru police commissioner B Dayanand on February 20. In the complaint, he stated of having proof against some senior BJP and JD (S) leaders who have approached three Independent MLAs that Congress claim to be associated with the party.
“Once an inquiry is initiated, I will submit all evidence, which ranges from inducements to threatening them with consequences,” he maintained.
In the complaint, Kumar said, Independent candidates — Darshan Puttannaiah, Latha Mallikarjun and KH Puttaswamy Gowda — have been approached individually for cash-for-votes. He claimed Reddy’s son and the owner of a prominent hotel in Bengaluru had contacted Latha and offered money to cross vote. Later, Latha’s husband Mallikarjun was approached by Harihar’s former MLA Shivashankar with inducements. Similar attempts have been made to Puttannaiah and Gowda.
On February 23, the Vidhana Soudha police registered an FIR based on the complaint.
“We registered an FIR after the complaint was forwarded to us by the commissioner under sections 171 (9E), 170 (F) and 506 of the IPC. This is a non-cognizable offence. Investigation is underway with notices being issued to the persons named in the FIR,’’ said a senior police officer.
The complaint was submitted by Kumar a day after deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar stated that he had information that former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy was making offers to Congress MLAs to buy votes for the JD(S)-BJP sponsored National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate D Kupendra Reddy.
Out of the four Independents elected in May 2023, the Congress claims that three are associated with them and minining tycoon and Karnataka Rajya Pragathi Paksha leader G Janardhan Reddy has identified himself with BJP.
On Friday, Shivakumar plunged headlong into the matter of ensuring that Congress votes are not poached by the JD(S)-BJP combine.
“All the 137 Congress votes (134 Congress MLAs and three Independents) are intact and I have also requested Janardhan Reddy to join us. After the Budget session gets over on February 26, our MLAs will be taken to a resort and will come together in a bus the next day to vote. We will hold a mock voting exercise as some of them are newcomers,’’ Shivakumar added.
He hosted a dinner meeting for all ministers on Friday night to chalk out the election strategy, those familiar with the development said.
The BJP’s core committee meeting held on Friday evening also discussed getting the requisite votes for Kupendra Reddy.
According to local media reports, Kumaraswamy during his recent visit to New Delhi promised Union minister Amit Shah the victory of the NDA candidate.
He later told the media that “unhappy Congress MLAs” will vote for Kupendra Reddy.
Each candidate has to get 45 first preference votes. While the Congress with 134 MLAs with the support of three Independents, the BJP with 66 MLAs and one Independent, Janardhan Reddy will be left with 22 surplus votes. As Kupendra Reddy is an NDA candidate, the BJP will transfer the 22 surplus votes to him, who after getting the JD(S)’ 19 votes will fall short of four votes.
Shivakumar told the media that all three Congress nominees have been allotted 46 votes each. The polling is by open ballot where the legislators have to show the ballot paper before depositing it in the box.
Meanwhile, the legislature session which was to adjourn on Friday has been extended by a day to meet on Monday, owing to chief minister Siddaramaiah’s ill health.
Pandemonium prevailed in the House on Friday after the BJP and JD(S) staged a protest demanding the state government to withdraw a resolution passed on Thursday which condemned the Centre for its “step-motherly’’ attitude towards devolution of taxes.
Opposition leader R Ashoka read out a counter resolution saying that the government’s resolution was ”false, imaginary and politically motivated.’’
As the resolution was read out without the Speaker’s consent, it was not considered or put to vote leading to chaos with the House adjourned for the day.
