Karnataka Deputy CM Responds to Cross-Voting Allegations During MLC Elections

Karnataka's Deputy Chief Minister, D.K. Shivakumar, addressed allegations of cross-voting during the Legislative Council elections on Thursday. He emphasized that the voting process is conducted through secret ballots, asserting that the Congress party has no involvement in such claims, as voting is underway for seven seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council. Speaking to a news outlet, Shivakumar remarked that worrying about cross-voting is futile since the elections are based on a confidential voting system. He questioned, 'Why would we want cross-voting? It's a secret vote. Why should anyone be concerned? There should be no worries. It all depends on the leadership and the party's ideology. We do not wish to be part of any cross-voting. We know nothing about it. Let's wait until 6 PM and see.'

Senior leaders from the Congress party expressed confidence that they would secure victories in all five seats they are contesting. Former minister and Congress MLA, Santosh Lad, voiced optimism about the party's chances, stating, 'We are fully confident, and I believe all five candidates will win easily.' Another senior leader, Satish Jarkiholi, echoed this sentiment, asserting that the party possesses the necessary numbers for victory. He stated, 'There is no doubt that all five of our candidates will win. We have the required strength to secure victory.'

Acknowledging the existence of factions within the party, Jarkiholi affirmed that despite these divisions, members would still vote in favor of the party. Congress MLA Dinesh Gundu Rao shared a similar belief, stating, 'We will win all five seats with our own votes. We took our legislators yesterday, where mock voting also took place. We have sufficient numbers.' Voting for the seven seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council is currently taking place at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru and will continue until 4 PM, after which the counting of votes will commence.