Rajya Sabha polls: Kumaraswamy hits out at Cong for engineering cross-voting

Rajya Sabha polls: Kumaraswamy had earlier alleged "horse-trading" in the Rajya Sabha elections claiming that Congress leader Siddaramaiah was pressurising JD(S) MLAs to vote for the candidate fielded by the grand old party.

Updated on: Jun 10, 2022, 14:52:44 IST

By HT News Desk

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JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy accused Congress of being the ‘B’ team of the Bharatiya Janata Party amid reports of cross-voting in the ongoing Rajya Sabha polls. He said that two Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs didn't vote for the candidate fielded by the party. Srinivas Gowda claimed that he voted for Congress and when asked the reason, he said, ““Because I love it.”

Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs including HD Kumaraswamy arrive at Vidhana Soudha for Rajya Sabha polls. (ANI)

The former Karnataka chief minister highlighted that he had said “Srinivasa Gowda will vote for Congress,” adding "SR Srinivas also didn't vote for JD(S).”

“Congress has shown its true face today. Congress is the 'B' team of the BJP. They're the main culprit for rise of BJP in the country,” Kumaraswamy further stated as he doubled down on his claim that Congress was cooperating in the victory of the BJP candidate.

Rajya Sabha election has heated up in Karnataka as six candidates are in the fray for four seats of the Upper House of the Parliament from the southern state. With 121 legislators in the 244-member House, the BJP is poised to win two of the four seats while Congress, with 70 MLAs, is set to grab the third. Both BJP and Congress have fielded an extra candidate for the fourth seat, expecting a cross-voting.

JD(S) has fielded entrepreneur and social worker Kupendra Reddy as its first candidate, while the Congress has fielded Mansoor Ali Khan as its second candidate in a bid to stop its former ally from sending Reddy to Rajya Sabha.

Kumaraswamy had earlier alleged "horse-trading" in the Rajya Sabha elections claiming that Congress leader Siddaramaiah was pressurising JD(S) MLAs to vote for the candidate fielded by the grand old party.

"Yes, definitely. He is pressurising them not to vote for JD(S)," Kumaraswamy told media persons on being asked about Siddaramaiah's claims that some JD(S) MLAs were in touch with him.

The former Karnataka CM, however, exuded confidence in winning the one Rajya Sabha seat in the three-cornered fight.

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