’Even BJP MPs aren’t...’: Shivakumar cites Rajya Sabha polls to explain why BJP-JDS alliance won’t work in Karnataka
- Shivakumar said the BJP could get their Rajya Sabha election candidate elected with 45 votes but they took 48 votes.
Amid voting in the Rajya Sabha elections 2024 in Karnataka, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took a jibe at the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in Karnataka, saying even the saffron party doesn't want to vote for their ally. Shivakumar said the BJP could get their Rajya Sabha election candidate elected with 45 votes but they took 48 votes.
"In Karnataka, BJP-JDS alliance can't go well. BJP had 65-66 votes, they could have got their candidate elected with 45 votes, but they have taken 48 votes. This means that even BJP legislators are not interested to vote for JD(S). JD(S) might be trying to play nice but BJP legislators and cadres do not want to vote for JD(S). That is why out of 45, they have taken 48 votes," Shivakumar was quoted as saying by PTI.
Meanwhile, the BJP-JDS alliance also suffered a setback when saffron party MLA ST Somashekar, who jumped ship from Congress, voted for the grand-old party in the Rajya Sabha elections 2024, prompting the BJP to take legal actions against him. Rajya Sabha elections LIVE updates
Somashekar, who is upset with the BJP and had been rebellious against the party, voted in favour of the Congress candidate, the BJP leaders said, terming the action as "political suicide". Somashekar had quit the Congress and joined the BJP and served as the minister (in the BJP government) and he was made the Mysuru district in charge minister.
"We have got the information that Somashekar has done cross-voting. I believe that people do not like cheating every now and then," the Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said.
Also Read | Rajya Sabha Elections: How numbers stack up for 15 seats in three states — A look at the election formula
HOW DOES SEATS IN KARNATAKA LOOK?
In the 223-member House, the Congress has 133 MLAs, excluding the Speaker, while the BJP and JD(S) have 66 and 19 legislators, respectively. Others account for four. However, one Congress MLA died on Sunday.
The Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant following the retirement of four members -- Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar (BJP) and Congress's GC Chandrashekhar, Syed Naseer Hussain and L Hanumanthaiah. The ruling party has fielded GC Chandrashekhar, Naseer Hussain and former union minister Ajay Maken. The BJP has fielded Narayansa Bhandage, besides JD(S) candidate D Kupendra Reddy as the NDA candidate.
Catch all the Business News, Politics news,Breaking NewsEvents andLatest News Updates on Live Mint. Download TheMint News App to get Daily Market Updates.
Business NewsPolitics’Even BJP MPs aren’t...’: Shivakumar cites Rajya Sabha polls to explain why BJP-JDS alliance won’t work in Karnataka
First Published:27 Feb 2024, 05:44 PM IST
- Top Gainers
- Top Losers
- 52 Week High