Bengaluru, June 18: As Karnataka prepares for elections to seven seats in the Legislative Council, BJP leader S. Suresh Kumar has urged political parties to eliminate the so-called ‘resort culture.’ He emphasized that sending legislators to resorts sends the wrong message to voters.
This statement comes in response to the Congress party’s decision to send all its legislators to a resort in Bidadi amid fears of cross-voting. There, they are undergoing training and mock voting to ensure that all votes are cast correctly.
Suresh Kumar expressed confidence in the victory of both BJP candidates and the success of the NDA’s third candidate from the JDS. He stated, “I urge all political parties to put an end to this resort culture. It conveys that legislators cannot be trusted and can be bought or influenced.”
He warned that this trend could escalate to the point where voters might also be confined to resorts, which would be detrimental to democracy.
Targeting the Congress party, he noted that delays in leadership decisions and cabinet expansion have created uncertainty, raising doubts about the loyalty of some legislators.
Additionally, BJP leader Y. Bharat Shetty highlighted factionalism within the Congress, mentioning the Siddaramaiah faction, D.K. Shivakumar faction, and discussions regarding the Kharge faction. He suggested that this internal strife could lead to cross-voting.
Voting for the seven Legislative Council seats from the Assembly quota is taking place today, June 18. This election is significant in Karnataka’s political landscape, as both numerical strength and strategies involving cross-voting and preferential votes could play a decisive role.
The voting process will occur at the Bengaluru Assembly from 9 AM to 4 PM, followed by the counting of votes starting at 5 PM. A total of eight candidates are contesting for the seven available seats.
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S.A.K./V.C.
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