• By Mayukh Debnath
  • Tue, 27 Feb 2024 03:52 PM (IST)
  • Source:ANI
Add as a preferred

Karnataka Rajya Sabha Polls: BJP MLA ST Somashekar on Tuesday cross-voted in the favour of the Congress party in the polling in Karnataka Assembly for four Rajya Sabha seats from the state, BJP's Chief Whip in the House, Doddanagouda G Patil, said. The BJP will look into the matter and strict action will be taken against ST Somashekar, Patil added.

Prior to the polling, ST Somashekar had told the media: "I will vote in favour of them who assures me and gives confidence that they will give funds for the water and other management in my constituency." ST Somashekar joined the BJP after abandoning the Congress in 2019. He was one of the 15 MLAs whose resignations brought the erstwhile Congress-JD(S) ruling coalition of Karnataka in the minority that year.

ALSO READ: Himachal Rajya Sabha Polls: Cross-Voting Fears Haunt Congress; BJP Candidate Says 'Sukhu Govt Will Fall'

Subsequently, the government in Karnataka under Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy collapsed, clearing the way for the BJP to form its government in the state. However, last year, speculations arose that ST Somashekar might rejoin his old party. His cross-voting in the ongoing Rajya Sabha polls points towards his potential return to the Congress.

Five candidates -- Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain and GC Chandrasekhar from Congress, Narayansa Bandage from BJP and Kupendra Reddy from JD(S) -- are in the race for the seats. 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.

ALSO READ: CPI Fields Candidate On Rahul's Wayanad Seat, Asks Congress To 'Rethink Strategy' As INDIA Bloc’s Woes Continue

The Congress with 135 MLAs has the exact number to elect its three candidates, Ajay Maken, Nasir Hussain and G C Chandrashekhar while 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-JD(S) second candidate Kupendra Reddy will need to get the support of three Independents and get at least three Congress MLAs to cross-vote if he wants to win.

(With inputs from ANI)