Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister DV
Sadananada Gowda on Thursday won the byelection to the Legislative
Council defeating Congress candidate Anand Gaddadevaramath by
a comfortable margin of 54 votes in a straight contest after
JDS chose to abstain.
Gowda secured 123 votes as against 69 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
as invalid.
The 26-member JDS group abstained from voting, which
ensured an easy victory for Gowda, who became the upper house
member fulfilling the Constitutional requirement to get
elected to the state legislature within six months of becoming
the CM.
Gowda, a Lok Sabha member, was sworn in Chief Minister in
August after BS Yeddyurappa was asked by the BJP Central
leadership to quit over 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 when its candidate
was defeated. It 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, JDS 26, seven independents and
one nominated member.
PTI
