BJP MLC Ravi’s fact-finding report on cross-voting points to ‘precautions not taken’

A three-member committee led by C.T. Ravi, MLC, submitted its fact-finding report on cross-voting from the BJP in the recent Council polls to State chief B.Y. Vijayendra on Saturday.

Speaking to presspersons later, Mr. Ravi refused to divulge any details, but said that the report indicates what precautions should have been taken during the polls. “We gathered a list of suspects after speaking to the candidates, party leaders, and the Chief Whip. We have also considered circumstantial evidence and submitted our report,” he said. 

Number may be 12

He put the total cross-votes from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at 12, and not 11 as the Congress had claimed. He said while both the BJP candidates were assigned 30 votes each, one got 29, with one becoming invalid, and the other candidate got only 27. The JD(S) was supposed to get 22 votes, but got only 14. 

He did not clarify as to whether the report could pinpoint either the exact number of cross-votes from BJP MLAs or who they were. 

Initially Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R. Ashok put the number at three from the BJP, but Mr. Vijayendra pegged it at “four to five” the next day. BJP leaders claim three BJP MLAs assigned to the JD(S) candidate and expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda R. Patil Yatnal voted for the JD(S), implying cross-voting from the regional party was eight. But the JDS has claimed the vote transfer never happened, implying the cross-voting from the BJP could be six. 

Sommoned to Delhi

Mr. Vijayendra, Mr. Ashok, and Radha Mohan Das Agarwal, in-charge of party affairs in the State, were summoned by BJP national president Nitin Nabin on June 23, who reportedly expressed the high command’s deep unhappiness. This will likely lead to changes in the State leadership of the party, factions within the State unit speculate.