Cracks in JD(S) ahead of elections

Bengaluru: Rebel JD(S) legislators  abstained from the meeting convened to issue a whip for elections to the Legislative Council scheduled for Friday while , Magadi MLA H.C. Balakrishna who attended, took on the leaders head on.

Amidst the heated debate, the party issued a whip to all members, including the rebels to vote for two party candidates. While 30 votes were allotted to the first candidate Mr K.V. Narayanaswamy,  10 votes, including those of five rebels were allotted to the second candidate Mr Venkatapathy.

The meeting started late evening, with rebels like Mr Zameer Ahamed, Mr Cheluvarayaswamy, Mr Akhanda Srinivas Murthy and Mr Iqbal Ansari abstaining. Three more members - Mr Kona Reddy, Mr Bhima Naik and Mr Mallikarjun Khooba informed the party that they would be coming directly to the election hall on Friday. Meanwhile, some of the legislators from Hassan and Mandya could not make it, as party supremo Mr H D Deve Gowda had asked them to supervise the polling for South Graduates constituency, where Mr Cheluvarayaswamy is backing a rebel candidate.

The meeting was held with 28 members, where Mr H C Balakrishna countered Mr Kumaraswamy. He questioned the way candidates were selected without consulting party members. Mr Kumaraswamy said he had called for a meeting, but no one attended.“You  speak as if we have left the party.  How can you expect us to vote for party candidates?'' Mr Balakrishna wondered.

Later, the JD(S) MLAs were taken to a hotel in the city, where they would be lodged. After the Council poll voting on Friday, they would return to the hotel and vacate only after the Rajya Sabha polls on Saturday.

Dissident MLAs fail to attend Chandika Homa   
On the day of elections to the Legislative Council from South graduates constituency, and two days ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, a Chandika Homa was planned at Chamundi hills. Interestingly all three dissident MLAs of JDS were expected to participate in the Homa. But at the last moment, owing to the model code of conduct, authorities of Chamundi hills cancelled the permission following directions from Deputy Commissioner, Ms C Shikha. The homa was to be held by Sri Anand Guru Ji with JD(S) MLAs Cheluvarayaswamy, Zameer Ahmed and  Balakrishna expected to participate, along with MLA G.T. Devegowda and MLC V. Somanna.  With permission denied, Astrologer, Sri Anand Guruji and Vidya Prasanna Theertha Swamy Ji, offered puja to the Goddess.