Karnataka Legislative Council poll: JD(S), Independent seal Congress win
BENGALURU: The results of polls to the Legislative Council could well be the precursor to the outcome of crucial elections to the Rajya Sabha on Saturday: all four contestants of the ruling Congress got more votes than anticipated on Friday to ensure a smooth sail to the Upper House.
Among the Opposition parties, two candidates of BJP and one of JD (S) were declared elected as they secured adequate number of votes, while Dr M.S. Venkatapathy of JD(S) lost as he could muster only five votes. Youth Congress president Rizwan Arshad was the topper among victorious contestants notching 34 votes or five more than the required 29, followed by former minister R.B. Timmapur (33), former KPCC president Allam Veerabhadrappa (32) and Veena Achaiah (31). Among BJP candidates, former minister V. Somanna secured 31 votes, while state president B.S. Yeddyurappa’s diehard supporter Lehar Singh got 27. The lone winning candidate of JD(S), K.V. Narayanaswamy, bagged 30 votes.
JD(S) sources said the outcome of Friday’s polls proved a major setback for state president H.D. Kumaraswamy who worked the phones through Thursday night to persuade his party dissidents to vote for Dr Venkatapathy. It was evident that the secret deal between leaders of Congress and BJP worked without a hitch as the latter, with floor strength of 44 MLAs, managed to ensure the victory of Mr Somanna and Mr Singh. The party had allotted 30 first preference votes to Mr Somanna, but the former minister managed to record 31 votes. Legislators of BSR Congress, KJP, Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti and nine independent MLAs voted for Mr Singh. He was allotted 14 first preference votes by the party. With the help of 13 MLAs from three smaller parties and independent MLAs, he secured 27 first preference votes. After completing counting of 25 second preference votes, he was declared a winner.
Sunday: Day of reckoning for JD(S) dissidents
The Rajya Sabha polls on Saturday could see the Janata Dal (S) leadership expel the dissidents if they break with state unit president H.D. Kumaraswamy directive and vote against the party's diktat. "If the five dissidents, N. Cheluavarayaswamy, H.D. Balakrishna, Zameer Ahmed, Iqbal Ansari and Akhanda Srinivas vote against party candidates, we will convene a meeting on Sunday and expel them," Mr Kumaraswamy and his brother Mr. H.D. Revanna said.
