Political Turmoil in Karnataka: Deputy CM Accuses HD Kumaraswamy Of Luring Congress MLAs For Rajya Sabha Votes

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, has accused JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy of attempting to lure Congress MLAs with incentives to secure their votes in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections on February 27, according to PTI.

Shivakumar claimed to be well-informed about Kumaraswamy's phone calls, discussions, and alleged offers, stating that Congress MLAs have provided details. He also asserted that Kumaraswamy had issued threats to the MLAs.

Despite the BJP and JD(S) alliance aiming for one seat, Shivakumar expressed confidence in Congress securing three out of four seats, given their 136 seats in the 224-member assembly and support from two Independent MLAs. When questioned about the possibility of opposition parties engaging in cross-voting, Shivakumar responded by highlighting the BJP's decision to field a candidate.

He also mentioned Kumaraswamy's alleged communication and offers to Congress MLAs, indicating awareness of the situation. JD(S), led by former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, joined the BJP-led NDA last year. The BJP and JD(S), with 66 and 19 members respectively, are positioned to jointly win one seat in the elections, where MLAs will cast their votes.

The Congress has nominated Ajay Maken, Syed Naseer Hussain, and GC Chandrasekhar, while the BJP's candidate is former MLC Narayansa Bandage. JD(S) leader D Kupendra Reddy also filed a nomination last week. To win, each candidate must secure 45 votes if there are only four candidates; otherwise, preference votes will come into play, as reported by PTI citing official sources.