RS polls: Voting underway in K’taka, Cong & NDA 'confident' of victory

Bengaluru, Feb 27 (IANS) Voting was underway for the election to four seats of Rajya Sabha from the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.

BJP MP S. Suresh Kumar was the first to cast his vote in room number 106 in the Vidhana Soudha.

The voting will continue till 4 p.m. and counting will be undertaken immediately after voting.

The Congress MLAs are being brought to the Vidhana Soudha from a star hotel in buses. Independent MLA Latha Mallikarjun and Sarvodaya Party MLA Darshan Puttanaiah are also arriving in the same bus.

BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka also arrived at the Vidhana Soudha. BJP and JD(S) MLAs gathered for breakfast and later they will go in batches to cast their votes.

LoP R. Ashoka on Tuesday while talking to reporters from Vidhana Soudha stated, “Along with BJP candidate, JD(S) leader Kupendra Reddy who has been fielded as NDA candidate will also emerge victorious. The BJP candidate has been allotted 46 votes. Additional votes will go to Kupendra Reddy. All BJP MLAs have arrived. JD(S) legislators will also arrive shortly. After breakfast, they will vote in batches.”

When asked about whether they would be able to ensure the victory of fifth candidate Kupendra Reddy, Ashoka said, “Myself, State President Vijayendra and former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy together held talks over this last night to ensure the victory of our candidates.

"Kumaraswamy has strategized for the win of Kupendra Reddy, who has been fielded as NDA candidate from JD(S). For more information you will have to ask Kumaraswamy.”

Kupendra Reddy, talking to reporters, stated, “We have 40 votes. Primarily we will ensure the voting of those votes. Secondly, we will ensure that our votes are intact and don't go to others. We have requested Congress MLAs to vote for us. Let’s see will they cast their votes for me. Rest is left to God.”

Karnataka DyCM and State Congress President D.K. Shivakumar reacted on the possibility of cross-voting, and said, “One has to have common sense in politics. It is only eight months after they got elected in the Assembly elections and why would MLAs spoil their careers? Our 42 MLAs are contacted for 42 voting. Senior MLA Shamnur Shivashankarappa has been contacted by Kumaraswamy and Yediyurappa. It won’t work.”

“With the money power they (BJP-JD(S)) leaders are threatening and luring Congress MLAs,” he charged.

The Congress has fielded party Treasurer Ajay Maken, Rajya Sabha MP Syed Naseer Hussain, and G.C. Chandrashekhar. Senior BJP leader Narayansa Bandage and Kupendra Reddy, from the JD(S) had filed their nominations as the candidates of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) for the Rajya Sabha. The fielding of Kupendra Reddy as the fifth candidate has created intense competition between the ruling Congress and the BJP.

Considering the tricky situation, Shivakumar has decided to oversee the polling process personally. Under an open ballot system, every MLA must present their vote to Shivakumar before casting it.

The Congress has 134 MLAs, the BJP 66 and JD(S) 19. There are two independents and two others. The cross-voting fear is haunting both sides.

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