The Congress suffered a big setback in the Karnataka Legislative Council polls as it won five of the seven seats that were contested on Thursday, a day the NDA was symbolically registered as a setback, aided to some extent by cross-voting from BJP and JD(S) MLA’s.
It has uncovered cracks in NDA front in Karnataka, with reports quoting at least six BJP MLAs as having cast their vote for Congress candidates and ruling out names of JD(S) legislators between four and eight. The unexpected voting pattern was the weapon used by the ruling Congress to earn a remarkable result for them in the council elections.
The effect has reportedly left the BJP leadership dismayed and the party’s top brass wanted to explain to the party’s state unit why it had done so. Karnataka BJP Executive Vice President K. V. Sonbaji, who is from Vijay-Dhar-Palanisami group, acknowledged the presence of cross voting and said that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
In the post-results discourse Vijayendra noted that party legislators who went against the party line would not be forgiven. He also alleged that BJP had the facts of some people who could have affected voting.
In the elections, Congress candidates Thippannappa Kamknoor, PV Mohan, BK Hariprasad, Shivanna BS and Vinay Karthik Prakash were victorious. The BJP could just pick up two seats, with Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R. winning them.
Observers feel the outcome may have ramifications for Karnataka politics as part of the NDA. The extent of the cross voting has put issues on the table regarding intra-party unity on the BJP-JD(S) side but it has given a big morale boost to Congress.
The election result comes amid growing concerns among political parties of future electoral battles in the state. Its episode will now be thoroughly probed by the BJP leadership and decisions taken on their disciplinary action against those involved in the violation of party directives.