Karnataka Rajya Sabha polls: Cong wins 3, BJP secures 1

BENGALURU: Karnataka's ruling Congress managed to win three seats and the BJP one in the elections held for four Rajya Sabha seats from the state on Tuesday.

The NDA candidate from JD-S was defeated.

From the Congress, party Treasurer Ajay Maken secured 47 votes, Syed Nasser Hussain 47 and G.C. Chandrashekar 45 votes.

The BJP's Narayansa Bandage got 47 votes, while the fifth candidate from the NDA, Kupendra Reddy only managed to get 36 votes - 16 from the BJP and 19 votes from the JD-S.

All 222 casted votes were deemed valid.

BJP MLA S.T. Somashekar cross-voted, defying the party whip, supporting Congress candidate Maken, while fellow party MLA Shivaram Hebbar abstained from the voting.

Independent MLAs Latha Mallikarjun, and K.H. Puttaswamy Gowda voted for the Congress, which also managed to secure the votes of Gali Janardhana Reddy of the Kalyana Rajya Pragathi Paksha (KRPP) and Darshan Puttanaiah of the Sarvodaya Paksha.

Congress state President and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar said it was a show of unity by the Congress MLAs.

"I want to thank the CM and all MLAs," he said, adding that the Congress candidates had secured victory in the first round.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has congratulated the candidates for the win and maintained that their victory has strengthened the voice of seeking justice for the state.

BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra said that they expected support from Congress to secure victory for JD-S candidate Kupendra Reddy and termed the results a "temporary setback".

"We will take it as a challenge and ensure the victory of BJP candidates in all 28 Lok Sabha seats,” he stated. The party has discussed the issue of MLAs Somashekar and Hebbar and legal consultations are bing done to initiate action against them for violating party orders and supporting the Congress.