RS polls: Cong-JD(S) stalemate continues, Kumaraswamy sends MLAs to resort
Despite being allies, Cong & JD(S) have fielded their own candidates and are pressurizing each other to back their candidate.
New Delhi: With less than one day to go for the Rajya Sabha elections, the suspense over fourth Rajya Sabha continues with Congress & JD(S) refusing to blink to an agreement on defeating the BJP candidate.
Going a step further, Kumaraswamy-led JD(S) has accused Congress of ‘dirty politics’ and has even sent its 32 MLAs to a resort claiming that ‘poaching threat’ by the grand old party remains very much alive.
Karnataka is set to elect 4 members to the Upper House. As per number strength in the house, BJP is likely to grab 2 seats while Congress can easily bag 1 seat. The fight is over 4th RS seat , for which all parties are vying and also fear crossvoting. For 4th seat, BJP & JD(S) both have 32 seats while Congress has 24 members. Each candidate needs at least 45 votes to win the candidature to Upper House.
Despite being allies, Cong & JD(S) have fielded their own candidates and are pressurizing each other to back their candidate. JD(S) claims that it has higher vote percentage & hence Congress should back its candidate while latter wants ‘return of favour’ for sending former PM HD Deve Gowda to Rajya Sabha in 2020.
Siddaramaiah’s letter to JD(S) members sparks row
Meanwhile, a letter written by Congress leader Siddaramaiah to JD(S) MLAs has created a political furore in the state. In the letter, the ex-CM has written about ‘secular idology’ of both parties and urged them to cast their ‘conscience vote’ in favour of Cong’s 2nd candidate Mansoor Ali Khan as this will keep the communal forces at bay.
Kumaraswamy taking strong exception to the letter came all guns blazing on the Congerss leader and blasted him for trying to create defection in his party.
Anticipating poachig ahead of RS polls, Kumarasway has also sent his MLAs packing to a resort but all eyes will be on cross-voting if any, as none of the party have clear numbers to win the fourth seat from state.