Karnataka: JD(S) removes two MLAs from party for cross voting in Rajya Sabha elections

The Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), on Wednesday, removed two of its Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) for cross-voting in the recent Rajya Sabha elections. In the core-committee meeting of the JD(S) in Bengaluru, the decision to expel the two legislators, K Srinivas Gowda, MLA from Kolar, and SR Srinivas, MLA from Gubbi, was taken. 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won three Rajya Sabha seats and Congress one, in the biennial elections for four seats last week. 

The party said in a statement, “Kolar MLA K Srinivas Gowda and Gubbi legislator SR Srinivas who violated the party whip and cross voted in the Rajya Sabha elections have been expelled from the primary membership of the JD(S)".

The statements come almost two weeks after the two legislators helped Congress and the BJP and turned their backs on the JD(S) party.

Kupendra Reddy, the lone candidate of the JD(S), fell short of the 45-vote mark and the party missed a chance to send a representative to the Upper House of Parliament.

Senior leader Bandeppa Kashampur-led core committee also decided that it will write to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker to remove both from the House under the anti-defection laws.

Big blow to JD(S)

The decision to expel the two legislators comes as a big blow to the JD(S) as this dents the chances further in the upcoming Assembly polls in the state next year with its tally in the lower house of the state legislature, especially in the south Karnataka region, where it draws most of its strength in terms of numbers.

Blaming the state leadership of the Congress, especially Siddaramaiah, for the Rajya Sabha poll debacle, former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy further targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the latter will now increase his visits to the state only for election-related works but had ignored the state while giving out flood relief or addressing the corruption charges against the BJP government in the state.

(With inputs from ANI, Image: ANI)