BENGALURU: The outcome of Rajya Sabha elections was as anticipated though it was dogged by controversies even after completion of polling, but for top leaders of JD (S) who backed moneybags since 2004, it was a case of being beaten at their own game as eight of their legislators voted for the Congress in a show of rebellion, resulting in the defeat of B M Farookh on Saturday.
In fact, it was a repeat performance by rebel legislators, led by former minister Zameer Ahamed Khan, once a confidant of state JD (S) president H D Kumaraswamy, who ensured the defeat of Dr. M.S. Venkatapathy of JD (S) in polls to the Legislative Council on Friday.
Mr Khan reportedly minced no words in telling the former chief minister on the eve of the crucial elections that legislators would no longer accept candidates foisted on them without a legislature party meet.
He was also miffed that Mr Kumaraswamy had chosen a candidate belonging to the minority community for Rajya Sabha elections, and had spoken about how such a move would help end his career during a conversation with independent legislators.
In the end, all independents who originally said they would vote for Mr Farookh, backed former IPS officer and Congress nominee K.C. Ramamurthy, as the number of rebel JD(S) MLAs swelled from five to eight.
With the top leaders set to initiate disciplinary action against these rebel legislators on Sunday, the downslide could well have commenced for JD(S) well ahead of elections to the Assembly in 2018, as the rebels like N. Cheluvaraya Swamy met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah late Sunday night, as both the Congress and the BJP attempted to bring the rebels into their fold.
