The Bharatiya Janata Party has formed a fact-finding committee to investigate cross-voting in the recent Karnataka Legislative Council elections. The decision comes after several party MLAs voted against the official candidate, causing embarrassment to the leadership.
Committee Members
The three-member panel includes MLC CT Ravi, State Vice President N Mahesh, and Hubli-Dharwad Central MLA Mahesh Tenginkai. The committee will probe the reasons behind the cross-voting and submit a report to the party high command.
Background
In the MLC polls held earlier this week, the BJP candidate faced unexpected opposition from within the party. Several MLAs, believed to be loyal to former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, cross-voted in favor of the Congress candidate. This led to a narrow victory for the BJP, but the incident has raised questions about internal party discipline.
State BJP President B Y Vijayendra expressed concern over the development and assured that strict action would be taken against those found guilty. "We will take action against Mir Sadaks (traitors)," he said, referring to the cross-voters.
Leader of Opposition R Ashoka also condemned the act and called for a thorough investigation. The fact-finding panel is expected to complete its inquiry within a month and recommend disciplinary measures.
The cross-voting incident has highlighted factionalism within the Karnataka BJP, with Bommai and Vijayendra reportedly at loggerheads. The committee's findings could lead to a reshuffle in the state unit.
