The H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) on Friday petitioned Assembly Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri seeking disqualification against two of its lawmakers under the anti-defection law for cross-voting during the June 10 Rajya Sabha election.
The party's chief whip Venkatarao Nadagouda gave Kageri the petition against MLAs SR Srinivas (Gubbi) and K Srinivas Gowda (Kolar). The party expelled them last month.
"Along with the petition, we have submitted the necessary documents to show that the two MLAs have been speaking against the party and that they cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha elections by violating the party's whip," Nadagouda said.
"Both the MLAs are away from party activities and are openly making anti-party statements. Srinivas Gowda has identified himself with the Congress party. Considering all this, we have urged the Speaker to disqualify them under the anti-defection law," he said, expressing confidence that the Speaker would consider the party's petition and disqualify the two MLAs.
During the Rajya Sabha election, Srinivas has been accused of casting his first preference vote to the BJP's Lahar Singh Siroya and the second preference vote to Congress' Mansoor Ali Khan. Gowda is accused of voting for Khan first and then Siroya. This contributed to the defeat of the JD(S) candidate D Kupendra Reddy.
Asked about JD(S) legislature party leader HD Kumaraswamy's statement that the disqualification petitions and the anti-defection law are ineffective, Nadagouda said: "It's true that Kumaraswamy has expressed his disappointment, but we don't send a message that no action was taken against anti-party activities. That's why we've moved the petition seeking disqualification."
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