Karnataka MLC election: BJP summons state leaders amid cross-voting row | India News

A Legislative Council election in Karnataka has unsettled the state’s opposition alliance, with the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) confronting evidence of cross voting within their own ranks after the Congress secured a sweeping victory in the contest. The BJP central leadership has expressed strong displeasure over the results and summoned state leaders to Delhi, officials said on Friday.Party president Nitin Nabin has called Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra and other leaders to a meeting on June 23 after taking serious note of legislators voting against the official line. The party has also set up a three member committee to investigate the matter.Within the state unit, Vijayendra acknowledged the scale of the setback and said internal scrutiny had already begun. “What happened in the MLC elections is very unfortunate. According to us, there were four cross votes. We have taken this seriously. We have announced a fact finding committee headed by CT Ravi, and we expect a report before the 25th. Next week, I will go to Delhi and meet with all senior leaders and brief them on the situation,” he said.The contest, held on Thursday, saw the Congress win five of seven seats, a result that exposed gaps in coordination within the BJP, JD(S) bloc. According to leaders familiar with internal assessments, BJP candidates failed to fully consolidate their expected vote base, while JD(S) support also fell short of projections.Vijayendra said the party had information on legislators who deviated from the whip and ruled out leniency. “I have all the information on who cross voted yesterday. Six to seven JD(S) MLAs cross voted. From BJP also, a minimum 5 to 6 MLAs have cross voted. No question of forgiving our MLAs who cross voted,” he said.He added that the matter would be placed before the party leadership in Delhi. “We will take whatever action needs to be taken against them,” he said.JD(S) leader and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy also acknowledged internal breaches, saying four of his party’s legislators had voted against the official position. He said the election had served as a test of loyalty within the party. “Four JD(S) MLAs have resorted to cross voting. I have complete information about them,” he said.Kumaraswamy attributed the defections to a mix of constituency level dissatisfaction and political calculations, while indicating that further organisational changes could follow. He said the party would prioritise strengthening its structure and bringing in younger leaders, while describing the outcome as a signal for internal correction ahead of future elections.Amid the allegations, former minister and JD(S) MLA GT Deve Gowda rejected claims that he had cross voted, stating that he had cast his vote according to his judgment and demanding proof from those making the allegation. “I was not feeling well, which is why I came early to vote. I voted according to my conscience. Our party’s candidate will win. They say someone has cross voted. Let them prove it,” he said.The voting pattern has added weight to the claims of cross voting across both parties. JD(S), which holds 18 MLAs, saw its candidate fall short of expected support, while BJP candidates also recorded losses compared with their projected vote allocations. Internal assessments suggest that discrepancies between expected and actual votes indicate multiple instances of deviation within both parties.The outcome delivered an unexpected advantage to the Congress, which secured all five seats it contested. Party candidates collectively polled 151 votes, exceeding its expected tally and indicating support beyond its own legislative strength.The result has now set off parallel internal inquiries within the BJP and JD(S), with both parties preparing disciplinary action against legislators accused of voting against party lines.