Cross-voting from BJP embarrasses party, likely to lead to more high command control of State unit

Cross-voting by at least three BJP MLAs, which could be as many as six, in favour of the Congress in the Council elections held on Thursday, has left the party red-faced, especially at a time when several opposition MPs elsewhere in the country appear to be breaking away from their parties and extending support to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

Three or six? 

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok told mediapersons that three of their MLAs had cross-voted in favour of the Congress. “We will definitely find out who cross-voted and betrayed the party. It will come out. The party will take suitable action against them,” he said.

The BJP has a strength of 63 MLAs in the Assembly. The party had allotted 30 votes each to its two candidates, Raghu Kautilya and Lingaraj Patil. While Mr. Kautilya secured 29 votes, with one vote declared invalid, Mr. Patil polled 27 votes. He did not secure the required number of votes in the first round and eventually won with the help of second-preference votes, further embarrassing the party. Mr. Ashok argued that at least three BJP MLAs had cross-voted.

However, the BJP had allotted four votes — three from its MLAs and one from expelled MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal (who had announced support to the BJP) — to the JD(S). While the BJP maintains that these votes were transferred, JD(S) sources claim this did not happen. Excluding Mr. Yatnal’s vote, who is not bound to any party, the extent of cross-voting from the BJP could go up to six.

‘Changes bound to happen’

The fiasco is likely to lead to structural changes in the State leadership of the party, which was already under contemplation, sources said. “This is a clear reflection of the sorry state of affairs in the party — disgruntlement, factionalism, lack of control over MLAs and opposition to the alliance with the JD(S),” a senior party leader, who did not wish to be named, said.

“Coming just two years before the Assembly polls in the State, the party high command will not take this lightly and is likely to tighten control over the State unit,” he added. Another leader said Union Home Minister Amit Shah would not take defections from the BJP lightly.

The term of party president B.Y. Vijayendra — against whose leadership there has been open rebellion — ends in November. There has also been speculation that the party may appoint a new Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, given that D.K. Shivakumar, a Vokkaliga, has assumed charge. The current Leader of Opposition, Mr. Ashok, is also a Vokkaliga.

However, another senior leader said that only Mr. Vijayendra and Mr. Ashok cannot be blamed, arguing that it was a failure of the collective leadership. He added that some leaders had been “driving factionalism” ever since Mr. Vijayendra took charge.