R Ashoka behind cross-voting by BJP MLAs? Internal rift deepens after MLC election setback

Bengaluru

In a development that has triggered intense speculation within the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), highly placed party sources have alleged that Leader of Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka played a crucial role in influencing a section of BJP legislators to cross-vote during the recently concluded Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) elections.

The alleged cross-voting by at least 11 legislators from the BJP and its alliance partner, the Janata Dal (Secular), helped the Congress secure an unexpected fifth seat in the Legislative Council elections held on Thursday. The outcome proved to be a major political victory for the ruling Congress and a significant boost for Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, who successfully passed his first major political test after assuming office.

The Congress won five out of the seven seats in the election, while the BJP managed to secure only two seats. The biggest casualty of the cross-voting was JD(S) candidate Govindraju, whose victory depended on the transfer of votes from the BJP under the alliance arrangement. However, the unexpected erosion of votes from the BJP-JD(S) camp paved the way for the Congress to claim an additional seat and strengthen its position in the 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council.

According to sources, Ashoka allegedly reached a tacit understanding with Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, which eventually contributed to the Congress securing the fifth seat. Party insiders further claimed that Ashoka, a prominent Vokkaliga leader, influenced some legislators belonging to the Vokkaliga community to vote against the official party line.

These allegations have surfaced at a politically sensitive time when the BJP central leadership is reportedly holding discussions regarding organisational changes in Karnataka. A section of leaders opposed to State BJP President B Y Vijayendra is allegedly seeking to use the MLC election setback as a reason to demand his removal from the post.

Sources also indicated that several leaders from backward communities within the BJP are unhappy with the developments. They reportedly believe that certain dominant caste leaders are attempting to exploit the election outcome for internal power struggles, thereby betraying the confidence of grassroots party workers who have remained loyal to the organisation.

The episode has exposed the deepening factionalism within the Karnataka BJP, where the rivalry between various camps has increasingly become visible. The leadership crisis is expected to intensify in the coming days as the party attempts to identify those responsible for the cross-voting and contain the political damage caused by the embarrassing electoral setback.

In response to the incident, State BJP President B Y Vijayendra has constituted a three-member committee to investigate the alleged indiscipline and identify the legislators who violated the party whip. The committee is headed by senior BJP leader C T Ravi.

Meanwhile, the BJP high command has summoned Vijayendra to New Delhi to seek an explanation regarding the party’s unexpected performance in the MLC elections and the circumstances that led to the cross-voting.

Winners of the Karnataka Legislative Council elections

Congress

• Thippannappa Kamknoor
• P V Mohan
• B K Hariprasad
• Shivanna B S
• Vinay Karthik Prakash

BJP

• Lingaraj Patil
• Raghu R