'Congress scared of division': Karnataka BJP alleges MLAs shifted to resort over cross-voting fears

Speaking to ANI on the MLC polls, BJP MLA Bharat Shetty Y said, "The Congress is scared of the division within the party. We are very confident. It is the reason they have shifted to the resort. They want all their MLAs together so that they won't cross-vote."

Stating a similar claim, BJP MLA Arvind Bellad said both NDA candidates were set to win easily and that excess votes would be transferred to JD(S).

"Very easily, both our candidates will get elected. They are our NDA partners, so excess votes will be given to the JDS. Many leaders of Congress themselves will try to make sure that the Congress candidates get defeated," Bellad told reporters.

He added that the new Chief Minister was already facing challenges within his own party.

"In that way, the new CM has already started facing hurdles, and more problems will be created for him," Bellad said.

Voting for 7 seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council began at 9 AM at Vidhana Soudha and will continue till 4 PM.

Two polling booths have been set up inside the state secretariat to facilitate secret voting by MLAS.CCTV cameras have been installed both inside and outside the polling room, and all arrangements for voting have been completed.

Necessary police security has been deployed at Vidhana Soudha. Results will be announced this evening after voting concludes.

The polls were necessitated by the upcoming retirement of seven MLCs whose terms conclude on June 30. The outgoing members include Congress's Govindaraju, Naseer Ahmed, Thippannappa, and B.K. Hariprasad, as well as BJP's M.T.B. Nagaraju, Prathap Simha Nayak, and Sunil Vallyapur.

In the 75-member Upper House, Congress currently has 37 seats, while the BJP has 29, JD(S) has seven seats, followed by one Independent member, and the Chairman. Through these elections, the Congress aims to further bolster its tally in the Council. (ANI)