A day before the Rajya Sabha elections, the fight for the fourth seat from the State reached a climax and the threat of cross-voting loomed large. As parties played their cards close to their chest, the number game will be finally played out on Friday.
Backroom channels
On Thursday, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) continued their tirade against each other while also seeking support for their respective candidates from each other on the secular plank. This comes amid backroom communication channels between the top party leaders still remaining open. It is learnt that parties friendly with both the Congress and the JD(S) are still trying to find a way to collaborate.
Of the four seats, BJP’s candidates Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Kannada actor Jaggesh, and Congress candidate Jairam Ramesh are expected to sail through easily as both the parties have adequate numbers to get them elected. The fourth seat is being hotly contested, with Lahar Singh Siroya (BJP), Mansoor Ali Khan (Congress) and D. Kupendra Reddy (JD-S) in the fray, and the candidate getting the highest number of the remaining votes will win. For the record, the BJP has 122 votes, and the Congress and the JD(S) have 70 votes and 32 votes, respectively.
The BJP is strategising to enable its third candidate, Mr. Siroya, get additional votes to have an upper hand against his nearest rival and JD(S) candidate, Mr. Reddy. If the sparring Opposition unite, chances of the BJP’s third candidate winning remains slim.
The Congress appeared to be fishing in the troubled waters of the JD(S) that is facing dissent from some of its legislators. Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah wrote an open letter to JD(S) legislators appealing them to cast their ‘conscience vote’, triggering an angry reaction from JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
On the other, the jittery regional outfit has moved its legislators to a hotel at Whitefield here to prevent poaching. Though JD(S) leaders seemed confident of holding the flock together, doubts persisted after its legislator from Gubbi S.R. Srinivas, who did not join other legislators in the hotel, met Mr. Siddaramaiah here on Thursday.
Disgruntled legislators
Some of the disgruntled JD(S) legislators such as G.T. Deve Gowda, K.M. Shivalinge Gowda, and Srinivas Gowda remained away while another legislator A.T. Ramaswamy also did not attend the JD(S) Legislature Party meeting. Sources said, “Barring Mr. Srinivas Gowda, all the other four have pledged loyalty to the party and have assured to come directly to the Vidhana Soudha to cast their vote.” In Mysuru, Mr. G.T. Deve Gowda announced that he would vote in favour of the JD(S) candidate.
D.C. Gowrishankar, JD(S) MLA for Tumakuru Rural, is learnt to have returned from foreign tour just in time to vote in the election.
The Congress Legislature Party that met on Thursday night appointed 10 legislators, including KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, as poll agents. The meeting also finalised allocation of votes to its candidates.
Ahead of the crucial day, the ruling BJP also met again to fine tune its strategies — now dependent on the numbers, and it also allocated votes to its three candidates. “All the legislators have been asked to assemble at 8.30 a.m. Just before the polling commences.”
