The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is determined to ensure the victory of its third candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls, has appointed Union Minister Kishan Reddy as poll in-charge leader to evolve appropriate strategy and monitor the poll proceedings.
The party leadership is of the view that its third canidate Lahar Singh Siroya can win if there is no formal understanding between the Congress and JD(S), if there is no large-scale cross-voting. Each candidate requires 45 votes for victory. On this count, the BJP would be left with 32 votes after ensuring the victory of its first two candidates – Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and actor Jaggesh. “But 32 votes in addition to the second preferential votes are enough to ensure the victory of the third candidate if the candidates fielded by other parties get lesser votes than Mr. Singh,” explained a BJP State leader, while referring to the thinking of the party leadership.
But the scenario is bound to change if there is any formal understanding between the Congress and the JD(S) or if there is any large scale cross-voting between the Congress and the JD(S), he noted.
