ST Somashekar cross-voted in Rajya Sabha elections: BJP Chief Whip in Karnataka Assembly

BENGALURU: In a major setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka, party MLA S T Somashekar has cross-voted in the ongoing Rajya Sabha elections which are being conducted for four seats on Tuesday, BJP Chief Whip in the state Assembly, Doddanagouda G Patil said.

Somashekar voted in the favour of Congress party on Tuesday. “I voted as per my conscience, there is no issue of any party. I have shown my vote to the leader to whom I was supposed to. I voted for the individual”, he said after casting his vote. Earlier, he said he would vote only for those who supported development of his constituency.

BJP Chief Whip in Karnataka Assembly, Doddanagouda G Patil, while speaking about the matter, said that the party will look into the matter and strict action will be taken against the BJP MLA. “It is confirmed that S T Somashekar has cross-voted. We are discussing what can be done and what action to be taken”, he said.

Before casting his vote, ST Somashekar, while speaking to the reporters here said, “I will vote in favour of those who assures me and gives confidence that they will give funds for the water and other management in my constituency”.

Five candidates — Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain and G C Chandrasekhar (all Congress), Narayansa Bandage (BJP) and Kupendra Reddy (JD(S)) — are in the fray.

In Karnataka, three MPs from the Congress and one from the BJP are retiring and the outcome after the elections will be the same. As numbers stand in the Karnataka Assembly, the Congress is assured of three seats, and the BJP of one. Each Rajya Sabha candidate needs at least 45 votes in the 224-MLA Karnataka Assembly to win a Rajya Sabha seat from the state.

The Congress with 135 MLAs has the exact number to elect its three candidates, Ajay Maken, Nasir Hussain and G C Chandrashekhar. The BJP has 66 MLAs, which means it can easily get its main candidate, party worker Narayansa Bhandage, elected.

Combined with the 19 JD(S) MLAs, the BJP-JDs second candidate Kupendra Reddy will need to get support of three Independents and get at least three Congress MLAs to cross-vote if he wants to win.

Meanwhile, both- Congress and the BJP have exuded confidence in their candidates winning the elections. Congress leader and Karnataka minister Ramalinga Reddy said that his party will win the elections as it has a clear majority in the state assembly.

“All our three candidates will by clear majority. There will be no cross-voting. 3 Congress and 1 BJP candidate will be there. We have a clear majority. I don’t know what Janardhana Reddy will do, he might support Congress,” he said.

Karnataka Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said that his party’s candidates will get votes more than required. “There will be no cross-voting. Congress candidates will get more votes than required. If people from some other party want to vote for us, then we won’t say no to it,” he added.

Union Minister and BJP leader Pralhad Joshi said, “We are very confident and hopeful. At this moment, I can only say that we are optimistic and confident. Whatever is needed, will be done…” (ANI)