Sadananda Gowda wins LC bypoll

Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda on Thursday won the byelection to the Legislative Council defeating Congress candidate Anand Gaddadevaramath by a comfortable margin of 54 votes. It was a straight contest after the JD(S) chose to abstain.

Gowda secured 123 votes as against 69 polled by Anand out of the 199 votes polled in the election in which the assembly members formed the electoral college while seven votes were declared invalid. The 26-member JD(S) group abstained from voting which ensured an easy victory for Gowda who became a member of the upper house, fulfiling the Constitutional requirement to get elected to the state legislature within six months of becoming the chief minister. Gowda, a Lok Sabha member, was sworn in Chief Minister in August after B S Yeddyurappa was asked by the BJP Central leadership to quit after his indictment in the Lokayukta report on illegal mining.

The main opposition Congress which sought to fish in troubled waters amid reports that there might be cross voting from a divided BJP, suffered embarrassment after its candidate was defeated. The party had to face criticism from its own legislators for forcing the contest though the party had no numbers to win the bypoll. In the 225-member assembly, BJP has 120 members including the Speaker. Congress has 71, JD(S) 26, seven independents and one nominated member.

Gowda later told reporters that he would resign his Lok Sabha seat in the next seven-eight days. He thanked party state unit President K S Eshwarappa, former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, ministers and MLAs and all those who “cooperated and blessed him”. “I specially thank independents (for casting votes in my favour),” Gowda said, and complimented the JD(S) for not fielding a candidate and also not supporting the Congress nominee. “It’s clear that two votes have slipped from the Congress,” he said referring to 69 votes in favour of that party nominee though the total strength is 71.

Gowda claimed that all those seven votes, which were declared invalid, were actually meant for him. Because of some markings,

it was not counted as valid, he said.