Karnataka MLC Polls: Congress Wins 5 of 7 Seats as BJP-JD(S) Hit by Cross-Voting |

[00:00:00]All right, now let's shift our focus to the MLC elections in Karnataka. Often the story goes the other way. Election after election, we've seen cross voting working in favor of the BJP. But Karnataka has now delivered a rare reversal. [music] In what's being seen as a major political boost for Chief Minister DK Chief Shivkumar in Karnataka [music] at the very start of his tenure, the Congress has now scored a stunning victory in Karnataka's legislative council elections, the MLC elections, winning five out of the seven seats that went to polls. And the numbers of course tell a story. The Congress along with three independents was expected to command around 140 votes only. But when counting ended, the party, Congress party had managed 151 votes, 11 votes extra, more than the anticipated [music] strength. That gap has triggered a political storm because it clearly shows cross voting. The Congress had the numbers to comfortably elect only four candidates, but they managed to win a fifth one.

[00:01:00]Well, the final tally now confirms that many in the political circles suspected that uh people legislators MLAs basically from the BJP and the JDS have crosswed in favor of the Congress candidate. [music] The biggest casualty is the JDS candidate Govind Raju 18 MLAs in the assembly that he has. The JDS expected him to secure at least 18 at least 18 first preference votes before receiving transfers from the BJP's legislators [music] but uh instead he only managed 14 votes indicating that at least four JDS MLAs voted against the party line. [music] The BJP also realized that their own unity had collapsed. The party had reportedly earmarked three MLAs to transfer votes to the JDS candidate and that support also never fully materialized. by the BJP's own admission here. Cross voting indeed has taken place. BJP chief By Vijendra has now openly acknowledged and admitted that cross voting has happened in favor of the Congress that uh there has been uh information that he's got about who has cross voted as well. He says basically hinting at he's got information on which BJP legislators have voted [music] for the Congress candidate. He's taken a tough stance saying they will not be forgiven adding that the party already has leads on who orchestrated [music] this. The fallout has reached Delhi. The BJP high command in Delhi is now deeply unhappy with this development. National President Nitin Nabin has [music] summoned Vijendra who's the BJP president in the state.

[00:02:35]He has summoned him to explain how [music] he lost control of the numbers. Adding to this embarrassment for the NDA, the JDS leader, Union Minister HD Kumar Swami has also alleged that four MLAs [music] cross voted and he says some MLAs we know are not happy. They've been wanting to join the Congress for long now. The result has significantly altered the balance of power in the upper house.

[00:02:55]Congress has increased its strength now from 34 to 39 members in the 75 member legislative council. [music] The BJP now has 29 members. JDS has six uh and one independent. [music] Let's take you through all the reactions on this.

[00:03:12]>> Very big uh mandate has been given among the legislators.

[00:03:18]I could see the numbers.

[00:03:20]Many of my different political parties cutting across the party lines. They have voted in the favor of the government.

[00:03:29]They have agreed the policies.

[00:03:32]I thank all the legislators who have helped us. for Let me bring in our guests joining us.

[00:04:18]In fact, let me tell our viewers. The BJP has decided now to form a committee to probe this. CT Ravi is at the helm of it and he's going to investigate who are those BJP MLAs and JDS who voted against their party. Suri Horrier, spokesperson of the BJP joining us. Deepak Timaya, spokesperson of the Congress and Prashant Prashanti Subash, spokesperson of the JDS. I'll start with Prashanti Subash. Um the JDS actually has has uh really received the big dent. Govindraju was hoping to get this seat but you lost out. What happened?

[00:04:54]>> Yes, definitely uh right now we are pained by the uh votes which uh you know which we didn't we we which we missed actually. So what happened uh we uh our uh out of 18 MLAs four of them you know cross voted in the sad part >> of course right now we don't have to reveal the names so it is internal matter >> no uh kind of we are kind of aware of them is uh maybe one or two of them we are sure of but not everybody uh however uh Mr. Kumar Swami has told that he would uh he would have a meeting with those uh 18 MLAs and want to check out who those people who those voters uh who cross vote uh voted for our own party members. This is the sad part. And um BJP as per their alliance promised they have voted four of them but rest of the total 56 you know votes we need to see who cross voted. So we both have to sit together and check out on who uh cross voted for Congress party.

[00:06:12]>> Suri.

[00:06:13]>> So this is Jeff. We hear the BJP high command is miffed and Vijayra has been called to Delhi to explain the lack of control on the numbers. Uh how is the party looking at it?

[00:06:27]>> I think the party stance has been made clear by the party president which is that anybody who has cross voted it's not going to be taken lightly that will be investigated and the rightful action will be taken. Having said that these are ups and downs and wins and losses that happen in politics. Yes, karakartas are hardworking karakartas are upset.

[00:06:47]This is not something we want to set but um yeah this is the reality of the situation and the bharty jenta party is very clear that disciplinary action will be taken.

[00:06:58]>> The congress says that the reason to why they cross voted is because pe people within the party itself are not happy with the alliance the BJP JDS alliance.

[00:07:07]I mean the the Congress can come up with lots of narratives to make uh you know excuses for their own situation within the party. There's been 3 years of their own party fighting within and this is not some sort of point proving situation and let me remind the Congress party of the national picture as well. When this happens nationally, what do you say?

[00:07:27]Death of democracy. What is happening to democracy if this happens or not? And now suddenly it's because people have entrusted you with some kind of thing.

[00:07:35]Is it? Let me remind the Congress party that we are it's been what more than two weeks since more than two weeks since the new chief minister came into place.

[00:07:43]They have been focused more on this MNC election, more on their own internal I'm going to prove this point or not than the governance of the state. You don't have a full-time agriculture minister.

[00:07:52]You've not allocated portfolios. your portfolio allocation the ones that have been allocated has been dismissed by existing ministers. So let's try to you know let's try to give the state the governance and the administration it deserves before you look into problems within the opposition party. You are in the government. You need to deliver on governance. You have forgotten that not just in the last two and a half weeks for the last 3 years you've forgotten that. And another reminder before the um you know congress spokesperson speaks don't have a different stance nationally and a different stance in the state. Let me remind you of all the statements you have made. Suddenly when it comes to Karnataka the MLAs are cross voting based on their interest in the in the governing party. No, everybody in Karnataka knows the kind of politics of the administration that's been happening for the last three years. Focus on governance.

[00:08:38]>> Congress spokesperson Deepak Timaya, congratulations. The party has managed a big win and you've got one extra MLC seat. It's a big test that DK Shivkumar has passed and won with flying colors.

[00:08:50]But what would you say about the multiple comments that the Congress has made so far? BJP pays money to buy votes. BJP has paid in Madhya Pradesh to buy votes, in Jark to buy votes, in Rajasthan to buy votes, in Himal to buy votes, in Goa to buy votes. Has the Congress paid to buy votes in Karnataka.

[00:09:08]>> Uh first of all, thank you very much for congratulating. And the second thing is that if at all the BJP can actually believe that the legislators can be bought by any other party and a party like Congress can buy the BJP legislator.

[00:09:22]>> Why not? You have you have the you are the country's richest politician who your chief minister.

[00:09:27]>> No word buy anything.

[00:09:30]>> I think does not understand that I just kept quiet and she has to listen. Okay.

[00:09:35]And let me tell you, if at all the BJP believes that their legislators can be bought or they can be manipulated, they can be influenced. I think there's a tragedy within their party and that is nothing to do with the Congress because the Congress never even asked the BJP to vote for Congress candidate and you know that [laughter] >> how do we know that?

[00:09:55]>> Uh how do you know that in the sense you know nothing like you know if at all somebody see I can even ask you to support me. I tell you perhaps I could have called you before the show and told you that be nice to me but let me tell you whatever that's been happening in the open what do you say arena of politics that we have seen let me tell you very simple if at all people have voted we don't even know that who are the people who voted for us and we have not even you know said these are the people who have voted for us let me tell you very clearly there was a time just even about 2 three months ago the BJP was saying that it was all over and the next government is going to be the BJP and perhaps also with the JDS and today we have even the BJP I'm the JDS supporting we don't know who those people are but it's very obvious if our fifth candidate has won that only means even the legislators believe that you don't have to go to election the next time in 2028 and under those party banners they know very well they would rather be happy to be with Congress because Congress is going to win it's going to bring even those people back to power and get them to you know be on the riding saddle so that you know it is natural that they have decided. If they have reasons I think you should be asking them why they voted for Congress and not blaming Congress at all. A particular leader could say that you know Congress is like this, Congress is like that and Congress has been absolutely in a state of shambles. But let me tell you the legislators have proven because they are in correction.

[00:11:24]They want to win the next time. They want to come back what do you say getting elected. But if they say that you know that they don't have confidence in their own parties and they would rather support Congress that is reason for a lot of introspection. I'm not going to be blaming.

[00:11:39]>> But don't you think your narrative your narrative nationally Deepak nationally versus in the state is very different.

[00:11:46]Nationally you say BJP pays to buy votes but in the state you're saying it you know we didn't even ask for it.

[00:11:53]The BJP should interest Karnataka has been an example for politics and I'm sure some of the people are talking about it was have not even seen the legacy of Karnataka politics.

[00:12:07]Karnataka has always shown the way to the whole country in terms of politics and political conduct and Karnataka has always been a mature state and I'm sure some of the BJP people may not agree because you know they have their own preferred state somewhere else. Let me tell you we need to respect kandiggas because kandandyas have always shown the way to the country and I'm sure that you know real true blood kadigas would agree that you know kandigas cannot be what do you say brainwashed or you know >> I agree with you Karnataka shown the way often um and uh what I what I also would add to that is that during the 2023 assembly elections at that time also there was a lot of talk that DK Shivkumar was trying to reverse poor there was talk of operation lotus that BJP was trying to poor. DK warned openly saying I will reverse poor. There are several leaders who are in touch with me. I can I can bring them to the Congress. Right.

[00:13:01]He has he has shown signs of that.

[00:13:04]>> He never said like like how the BJP has been saying in West Bengal anywhere else. We are not alleging that they are buying people. We are talking ABOUT MANIPULATION.

[00:13:13]>> NOBODY ALLEGES. Nobody will openly say it of course >> that the TMC is saying but we are not talking about you know co you know BJP going and buying what do you say the TMC what do you say MLAs or MPs we are not saying that at all we are saying talking about it malpractice but I playing it out at all you you see what's on our television also right we are putting out quotes from Malajan Kh from Rahul Gandhi where in fact Madhya Pradesh Digua Singh says BJP offered 35 crores to Congress MLAs Rajasthan Asho Gallot says 25 crores was given to MLAs there to topple the government in Jarkand the same poaching allegations and and Goa as well in 2022 September same poaching allegations Himachel as well CM Suku alleges rebel MLAs were paid were paid to cross vote in Rajasy Sabha polls just a year ago CM Suku in Himachel has also said that they were paid to cross vote so these are these are words said by your own party leaders extensively in other parts of the country We in Karnataka we did not invoke those things at all. We did not even say that. We were only saying that we have put a fifth candidate and we were just hoping that some miracle would happen political miracle and I'm sure that there must have been some some some >> Okay. So you're saying they're not happy. The JDSBJP alliance is not bing well with a lot of their own leaders.

[00:14:33]Okay. Rashanti Zubash wants to come to Congress. We would have been sad too, right?

[00:14:38]>> If it had happened to Congress, we would have been sad too. Let us continue to this is time >> has spoken >> spoken about uh you know their loyalty but I would like to say is few days back uh dikeshikumar invited all JDS and BJP leaders to jo I mean to come to their house he's always helpful and so and so and we also spoke about that but uh we know what is happening the resort politics the muscle power the manpower everything is happening there and we are sure about it we know about DKumar he is not a politician he's a businessman so he knows how to do business okay and when we see the numbers on papers we uh we definitely missed the loyalty uh on the floor see which is very saddening for for us as well as for BJP but BJP uh we uh the four votes which we got okay well and good but rest of the votes I think we need to investigate right now you know I I guess the high command with >> I think the JDS in in that sense has uh made a mistake allying with the BJP. I mean uh in the state of Karnataka the no the JDS was was better off as a party on its own.

[00:15:49]>> So the only four votes will decide everything. No, it is about the trust factor with BJP. Four votes it's you're consistently shrinking numbers.

[00:16:00]>> See ma'am uh four votes will definitely not decide our party you know with party alliance with BJP. Okay. about the trust.

[00:16:09]>> Your alliance remains intact. I see that Vijendra is fighting for both you and uh the BJP that he said that in on camera.

[00:16:18]But >> we're going to investigate. Yeah, we need to investigate. We want to see who those people are and why this is all >> what action will you take ma'am? What action is expected if you find out? That is that will be de that will be uh uh that that decision will be taken by the high command and definitely we are taking some stern action against that.

[00:16:40]See future rule is loyalty first then ticket. This is what JDS today Kumarana said he will become stronger from this.

[00:16:47]This has taught us a lesson. This has definitely taugh taught us a lesson. We now know whom to be se whom to select and whom not to. See it is all about anybody you know we thought actually we all know we were assuming that all 18 of them were loyalists for us but now we uh we stand different I'm in the >> of course I mean it's come as a shock to you I understand and I and I want to know as a parting note finally Suri uh on uh is uh is there a thought of expelling those leaders of of expelling those legislators once you find out who it is is that as harsh as a decision you think do you think the BJP will take.

[00:17:27]And finally, what ground is this laying for the assembly elections? It's barely uh two years, a year and a half now for your next assembly election in Karnataka. The BJP is not looking very strong.

[00:17:43]What decision will be taken, what action will be taken is not something that I can convey to you right now. I'm sure you will know uh very soon. But what I do want to point out is that the Congress is you know some kind of naivity saying that we have never said this. We have never said people can be bought or not when there are literally flashing on the screen saying Mr. K himself has alleged Mr. Digua Singh is alleged Dimachal Pradesh there's been allegations so on and so forth and let me point out I never said bye in anything. What I did say was that the Congress has been in Mr. DK Shukumar as DCM even said something as straightforward as if people don't bow down to me then I will not give funds for constituencies this is the deep deputy chief minister who's today the chief minister right this is the kind of governance that we are seeing so I'm not making two and two over here the people of Karnataka have now to answer your question on 2028 if you say that today's narrative victory of the congress is also a strategic victory that's actually very wrong yes they might have won the you know narrative today But to the strategic victory that we have is to understand who is really in our favor and not it will make us stronger. As Prashanti has said you might try to find so many mistakes but we it's only going to make us stronger.

[00:18:53]>> This is a a wakeup call certainly.

[00:18:55]Right.

[00:18:56]>> A last point there are four ketas on this panel. Nobody other than the Congress went uh you know very harsh on this don't sell out Canada so on and so forth. There are four ketas speaking here. We are very confident that the state will see fantastic good politics.

[00:19:11]But what we also want to say is that the DK is Mr. DK Shukumar needs to deliver on governance. Let's bring the attention back to otherwise the state is not going to vote you not even consider you for 2028. You have a mere one year and all you've been speaking about for the last two and a half three years is politics politics politics. Think about government. So sir you're in you're in government not in opposition.

[00:19:33]>> Thank you very much. I hear you and I wish you all the very best. Thank you for joining us on that.