Bengaluru: While Congress basked in a comfortable five-seat win in the legislative council elections Thursday, the BJP-JD(S) bloc was left to hunt for ‘black sheep’ since the final tally pointed to significant cross-voting in opposition ranks.While there was evidence of betrayal, there was no clear trail to the culprits.Congress candidate Vinay Karthik emerged the highest vote-getter with 32 votes, comfortably ahead of the required number and significantly above what Congress could have secured on its own. The tally suggested that he may have polled at least a dozen votes from BJP and JD(S) legislators.The figures immediately triggered accusations and counter-accusations within the alliance. While BJP insisted only three legislators from its camp had cross-voted — apart from rebel MLAs already under suspicion — party functionaries alleged that at least eight JD(S) legislators had backed Congress candidates.JD(S) functionaries rejected the claim and argued that only four votes could have come from their ranks, with the remaining support originating from BJP legislators.GT Devegowda and MR Manjunath of JD(S) and BJP’s Ramesh Jarkiholi, BP Harish, M Chandrappa and HK Suresh were immediately under the lens, but all of them denied cross-voting.The secret ballot has complicated efforts to establish responsibility. Unlike open voting, where party whips can verify compliance, the council election process leaves room for plenty of suspicion but little scope for proof.That uncertainty has deepened unease within the alliance. State BJP president BY Vijayendra struck a stern note, saying the party would identify the ‘black sheep’ and initiate appropriate action. JD(S) state president and Union minister HD Kumaraswamy refused to comment.Meanwhile, buoyed by what he described as his first electoral victory after oath as CM, DK Shivakumar sought to play down the speculation. “I have no idea who cross-voted,” he said.The results are a huge blow to JD(S), a party already facing an existential crisis. The defeat is likely to force brass to pay greater attention to second-rung leaders and internal dissent. For BJP too, the outcome is troubling. It could strengthen claims by dissidents that the party is suffering from a leadership drift. They could mount pressure to remove Vijayendra.
