BJP suffers setback as two MLAs betray party candidate in RS polls in Karnataka
Bengaluru, Feb 27: In a setback to the BJP-JD(S) alliance, saffron party MLA S T Somashekar voted for Congress candidate Ajay Maken while another MLA Arbail Shivaram Hebbar abstained from voting in the Rajya Sabha elections for four seats in Karnataka on Tuesday.
Somashekar and Hebbar, who are upset with the BJP, were seen getting closer with the Congress in recent months.
Somashekar represents Yashwantpur assembly constituency and Hebbar from Yellapur segment.
"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 told reporters here.
"I consulted with advocate Vivek Reddy who is our state legal cell president and a high court lawyer. We will ask the Speaker to initiate action against him (Somashekar) and explore the possibilities to take steps in accordance with the law," the former deputy chief minister said.
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Somashekar had quit the Congress and joined the BJP. He served as the minister (in the BJP government) and was made the Mysuru district in charge.
Ashoka termed Somashekar's decision as "political suicide".
Soon after voting, Somashekar told reporters that he voted as per his conscience.
"I went by my conscience and voted for those who worked for building schools and carry out development works in my constituency," the rebel BJP leader said.
Ashoka said Hebbar was in touch with him since morning and assured him that he would vote for the BJP candidate.
"Hebbar had been telling me that he would not betray the party, but I don't know why he did not turn up to vote. He double-crossed us today, which he should not have done. We will initiate action against him," Ashoka said.
Both the MLAs had defected from Congress to the BJP along with 15 others, bringing down the 14-month-old coalition government of the Congress and the JD(S) in 2019 facilitating the installation of the BJP government.
In 2023, they once again got elected to the assembly on the BJP ticket.
The BJP and JD(S) workers staged a demonstration in Bengaluru against Somashekar. Raising slogans, they burnt his effigy.
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Maharashtra Cong chief Nana Patole scrapes through in Sakoli, wins by 208 votes
Mumbai, Nov 23: Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole survived a scare from his nearest BJP rival in the Sakoli assembly constituency but managed to win the tight contest by a narrow margin of 208 votes.
Patole, the incumbent Congress MLA from Sakoli, polled 96,795 votes, while his challenger from BJP, Avinash Brahmankar, came tantalisingly close to bagging 96,587 votes.
Independent nominee Somadatta Karanjekar was a distant third, bagging 18,309 votes.
While Patole managed to save the face with the thin margin, the Congress unit led by him and the Maha Vikas Aghadi were routed by the BJP-led Mahayuti in the one-sided contest.
