Karnataka BJP panel submits cross-voting report to Vijayendra
Bengaluru: A three-member BJP fact-finding committee on Saturday submitted its report to Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra on the alleged cross-voting during the recent Legislative Council elections, a controversy that has deepened internal unease within the party’s state unit.
The committee, comprising MLC CT Ravi, State BJP Vice-President N. Mahesh and MLA Mahesh Tenginakayi, was formed by Vijayendra to conduct an internal inquiry after the party suffered embarrassment in the Council polls. The BJP has alleged that several NDA legislators cross-voted in favour of the ruling Congress.
Speaking to reporters after submitting the report at the BJP state office in Bengaluru, CT Ravi said the committee completed its inquiry within four days and all three members unanimously agreed on the findings.
“The State President had asked us to conduct an internal inquiry and submit a report. We held discussions, examined available information and prepared the report based on local evidence and surrounding circumstances,” Ravi said.
BJP Claims 12 NDA Votes Were Cross-Voted
Ravi claimed that a total of 12 NDA votes were cross-voted in the Legislative Council elections. According to him, the BJP had allotted 30 votes each to its two candidates. One candidate received 29 votes, while one vote was declared invalid. The second BJP candidate secured 27 votes, resulting in a shortfall of three votes.
He further said the JD(S) candidate was expected to receive 22 votes but got only 14, indicating that eight JD(S) votes and four BJP votes may have gone against the NDA’s official strategy.
Ravi, however, refused to reveal the contents of the report, saying it was an internal document. He said the State BJP President and the party’s Core Committee would decide whether further investigation was required.
Congress Accused of ‘Unethical Practices’
Targeting the Congress, Ravi alleged that the ruling party should not consider the cross-votes as a sign of goodwill.
“The Congress should not assume that these votes came out of affection for the party. This was the result of unethical practices,” Ravi alleged.
He said Congress leaders often criticise similar political developments in other states, claiming that democratic values are being undermined. “Now they themselves have adopted unethical methods to engineer cross-voting. They have no moral authority to question such incidents elsewhere,” he added.
Report Flags Internal Lapses
The committee is also understood to have pointed out areas where the BJP should have exercised greater caution during the election process. Ravi said the report highlighted lapses in internal coordination and suggested that the party needed to strengthen its systems to prevent such incidents in future.
The cross-voting controversy has triggered a political storm within the Karnataka BJP. Vijayendra recently visited Dharmasthala and denied having any connection with Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, while also dismissing allegations that he had encouraged cross-voting.
The row intensified further after expelled BJP MLA S.T. Somashekar alleged that Union Minister of State Shobha Karandlaje was responsible for the cross-voting due to internal rivalry within the party. He also claimed that differences between Vijayendra and Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka had contributed to the episode.
Earlier, Vijayendra and Ashoka had met BJP national leadership in New Delhi and briefed them on the alleged cross-voting. With the fact-finding report now submitted, all eyes are on the Karnataka BJP leadership’s next move.
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