BJP Forms Committee to Probe Karnataka MLC Cross Voting

The Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka established a special investigative panel on Friday to scrutinize instances of cross-voting by opposition legislators during the recent Member of Legislative Council elections, where multiple ruling party candidates secured victories despite numerical deficits.

Bengaluru: The BJP in Karnataka on Friday formed a three-member committee to probe the cross-voting by its party MLAs in favour of the ruling Congress candidate in the MLC election.

Five Congress candidates, Thippannappa Kamknoor, P V Mohan, B K Hariprasad (KPCC president), Shivanna B S, and Vinay Karthik Prakash, emerged victorious in the biennial MLC elections held on Thursday.

Two BJP candidates, Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R, also won the polls. Lone JD(S) candidate Govindaraju faced a defeat. It is learnt that there was cross-voting by some opposition MLAs in favour of Karthik Prakash. In a press release, the saffron party said that it has come to light that there was cross voting during the MLC elections. The committee comprises MLC C T Ravi, BJP state vice president N Mahesh, and MLA Mahesh Tenginkayi. As speculations are rife about those who were involved in cross-voting in favour of the Congress candidate instead of the party candidate, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said the Congress was behind spreading rumours about some BJP MLAs, projecting them as those who betrayed their party.

“It could be Basavaraj, it could be Chandru Lamani, it could be Krishna Nayak. By floating different names like this, Congress leaders are trying to create mischief and spark infighting within the BJP,” the Shikaripura MLA said. He said that this is not something the BJP leadership in Karnataka is going to lose its peace of mind over. “We have already announced a three-member team consisting of senior leader C T Ravi, former Minister from Kollegal, and Mahesh Tenginakayi. Within three or four days, the truth of the matter will come out,” he said.

Future Outlook

The outcome of the three-member committee’s investigation is poised to heavily influence the internal stability of the BJP’s Karnataka unit over the coming months. If specific legislators are conclusively linked to cross-voting, strict disciplinary actions or suspensions are likely to follow. Observers note that this internal friction might give the ruling Congress party additional political leverage ahead of upcoming legislative sessions, potentially shifting the balance of floor management strategies in the state assembly.

FAQs

What action did the BJP take regarding the Karnataka MLC election results?

The BJP leadership in Karnataka established a three-member investigative committee to examine cross-voting by party legislators during the recent biennial MLC elections.

Who are the members of the BJP investigative committee?

The internal probe panel consists of senior Member of Legislative Council C T Ravi, BJP State Vice President N Mahesh, and Member of Legislative Assembly Mahesh Tenginkayi.

Which candidates won seats in the recent MLC elections?

A total of seven candidates won the elections, including five from the Congress party (Thippannappa Kamknoor, P V Mohan, B K Hariprasad, Shivanna B S, and Vinay Karthik Prakash) and two from the BJP (Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R).

How has the BJP leadership responded to rumors about specific MLAs?

BJP State President B Y Vijayendra dismissed allegations against individual legislators, stating that the Congress party is deliberately floating names to cause internal confusion and spark infighting within the opposition ranks.