Cross-voting likely in Rajya Sabha elections in Karnataka

June 11, 2016 12:00 am | Updated November 17, 2021 04:29 am IST - BENGALURU:

With the ruling Congress keen on bagging three of the four seats of the Rajya Sabha in the biennial elections from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Saturday, legislators of the faction-ridden Janata Dal (S) are likely to indulge in cross-voting .

Along with JD(S) MLA B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan, who has openly raised the banner of revolt against the party leadership, a few more JD(S) legislators are expected to support the third candidate of the Congress.

All the 224 elected members of the Assembly are expected to exercise their franchise from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the polling booth in the State Secretariat. There is no vote for the nominated MLA. Counting would begin at 5 p.m. and results would be known by around 7 p.m. The process will be videographed. The number of votes required to win is pegged at 45.

The Congress has fielded veteran leader Oscar Fernandes, the former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh and the former IPS officer K.C. Ramamurthy chairman, CMR Group of Institutions. With its 123 MLAs (excluding the Speaker), the Congress would have an excess of 33 votes after electing its two candidates. Since the party is short of 12 votes to ensure victory of its third candidate, it will be interesting to see as to which party legislators would support Mr. Ramamurthy.

The Congress is working on getting the support of rebel JD(S) legislators, Independents (9), members of the Badavara Shramikara Raitara Congress Party (3), Karnataka Janata Paskha (2), and Sarvodaya Karnataka Paksha and Karnataka Makkala Paksha (one each).

The JD(S), which has 40 MLAs, has fielded businessman B.M. Farooq. With 44 MLAs, the BJP is sure of victory of its candidate Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

None of the Above (NOTA) option is there in the Rajya Sabha elections.

The elections have been necessitated as the tenure of M. Venkaiah Naidu (BJP), Ayanur Manjunath (BJP), and Mr. Fernandes (Congress) will end this month and owing to the resignation of Vijay Mallya (Independent).

Candidates

in the fray

Congress:Former Union Ministers Oscar Fernandes and Jairam Ramesh, and former IPS officer K.C. Ramamurthy

BJP:Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

JD(S):Businessman B.M. Farooq

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