Our own men helped BJP win MLC polls: Cong leaders tell Sonia

A section of state Congress leaders have complained to the party high command suspecting the role of someone in heir own party in the victory of BJP’s second candidate Lehar Singh in the recent Legislative Council elections.

This comes close on the heels of a series of complaints lodged with the high command after the political unrest that followed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s Cabinet reshuffle.

The BJP, with just 44 MLAs, managed to get both its first and second candidates - V Somanna and Lehar Singh - elected. Singh was short of 14 votes but won by apparently securing the votes of independents and members of smaller parties in the June 10 elections. Since it is a secret ballot, there is no way of knowing who voted for whom.

A section of Congress leaders suspect their own partyperson influenced a few independents and associate members to vote for Singh. The complaint also states that one or two Congress legislators may have cross-voted in favour of Singh, party sources said.

The complaint also states that a few party leaders had a tacit understanding with the BJP. The move has damaged the prospects of the Congress in the state, it has been stated. This section in the Congress also believes the party should have secured the support of the JD(S) for its third candidate for the Rajya Sabha elections - K C Ramamurthy - and in return support the JD(S)’ second candidate S M Venkatpathi in the Council elections.

The group in the Congress has also blamed decision makers in the party for rubbing JD(S) leader H D Deve Gowda the wrong way. The group believes the government should have heeded to Gowda’s request to reserve the post of Hassan zilla panchayat president so that it favours the party. The move would have helped Congress in forging alliances with the JD(S) in several hung ZPs.

The complaint has been addressed to AICC president Sonia Gandhi with a copy marked to party national vice-president Rahul Gandhi seeking their intervention, sources said. However, no leader was ready to be reveal his/her name in the media.