Bengaluru: Bengaluru, June 21: Rattled by the cross voting by its legislators during elections to the Legislative Council, the upper house of the Legislature, Karnataka BJP has decided to hold a meeting at the temple town of Dharmasthala and make its legislators to swear before the lord over their loyalty.
In Karnataka, it is a belief that lying before lord Manjunatha of Dharmasthala will destroy the future of a person and the state BJP unit plans to use this sentiment to make the cross voters to confess.
BJP state President B Y Vijayendra said that the party will leave no stone unturned to find out the 'traitors' and he will talk to opposition leader R Ashok and organise Legislature party meeting in front of Deity at Dharmasthala.
The cross voting not only betrayed the faith on the legislators, but also resulted in humiliating defeat of its ally JD(S) in the election. However, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, whose party members also cross voted in favour of Congress, has decided not to act against the betrayers.
However, the party high command has not taken this development kindly. Union Home Minister Amit Shah himself called up both Vijayendra and Ashok, and took them to task.
Though BJP formed a three member committee to find out the cross voters, the Congress had executed the operation so meticulously that nothing could be found out. There were rumours about a couple of legislators, who were indirect beneficiaries of the government, but could not be substantiated for cross voting. At the end, they are turning for device intervention.
The BJP had transferred four extra votes to JD(S) and is not sure how many of the dour votes went to Congress. Besides, it had allotted 30 votes each to its two candidates. However, BJP's one candidate got 29 votes, while another got only 27 votes, indicating that at least four legislators had voted against their own candidates.
The problem with the BJP is that neither Vijayendra, nor its opposition leader R Ashok are popular in the party lines. The only reason Vijayendra is continuing as party President is that he is son of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, a strong Lingayat leader. But, Vijayendra has lost control over Lingayat community itself. Ashok is surviving as opposition leader since he is old timer and a Vokkaliga. But, his presence is not helping the Party. Nor the two leaders have any control over party cadres and legislators.
