Bypoll to Karnataka Legislative Council on December 22 for the election of Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda promises to be an interesting battle with major parties, ruling BJP and Congress, apprehensive about cross-voting by their legislators and issuing whips. In the wake of rebel leader and Bellary strongman B Sreeramulu claiming support of 22 BJP MLAs, BJP has issued whip to its 118 legislators to gather at the Assembly tomorrow from where they would be taken to a resort in the city outskirts, BJP sources said. On BJP resorting to ‘resort politics’, Sadananda Gowda said, “Our party members have not been together for a while. Why should anybody be jealous if we meet together.” Expressing confidence of winning the bypoll, he said all BJP legislators were united and working towards his victory. Though it has a majority in the 224-member House, the ruling party is worried about cross-voting as some legislators had openly supported Sreeramulu in the recent Bellary rural bypoll. Besides, some others were reportedly unhappy with the central leadership not giving former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa a major role in state politics after he secured bail in cases relating to alleged irregularities in allotment of government land when he was at the helm. Congress, on its part, is taking no chances and also have issued whip to its 72 legislators to vote for its candidate Anand Gaddadevaramath. Meanwhile, JD(S) sources said 26 party legislators and six independents, including Sreeramulu, have convened a meeting tomorrow to decide on supporting Congress in its quest to defeat Sadananda Gowda.
“We have issued whip to all our 72 legislators and directed them to vote for Gaddadevaramath in December 22 council bye-election,” KPCC President G Parameshwara told reporters here on Tuesday. He said he was in touch with state JD-S president H D Kumaraswamy and Sreeramulu and claimed they have assured support to the Congress to defeat Sadananda Gowda. Voting is by secret ballot.
New Lokayukta
As the standoff between Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj and the state government continues over the appointment of a new Lokayukta, Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Tuesday said the ruling BJP would have no choice but to prepare a new list of candidates if the Governor rejected their original recommendation.
“I will try to consult the Governor in the next two days after the MLC election to iron out confusion over Justice Bannurmath’s appointment as Karnataka Lokayukta,” Gowda told reporters here.
