IANS

Bangalore, Jun 2: In a major embarrassment to the ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) in Karnataka, one of its candidates, Amarnath Shetty, was defeated by Congress candidate and outgoing chairman V R Sudarshan in the state legislative council elections held here on Thursday for 11 seats.

While three candidates each of the JD-S and the Congress sailed through in the first round, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a coalition partner in the state, managed to get all its four candidates win by virtue of its numerical strength in the 224-state legislative assembly.

Wooing eight JD-S rebel legislators led by former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah to oppose Shetty's candidature and vote in favour of Sudarshan instead, the Congress sprang a surprise on the ruling combine by ensuring its candidate the requisite 19 votes.

With its eight rebel legislators defying the whip, the JD-S was left with only 50 votes to secure the victory of its first two candidates, Abdul Azeem and Chikkamadu, in the first round, while its third candidate, H C Neeravari, who was short of 12 party votes, was bailed out by the BJP, which had three surplus votes, and its ally, Janata Dal (United), having five votes, besides four votes from independents.

Similarly, with a strength of 64 legislators, the Congress ensured the victory of its first three candidates, K C Kondaiah, Quazi Ershad Ali and Motamma.

The eight votes of the JD-S rebels and four more votes of single-member parties allowed Sudarshan to pip Shetty at the post by securing the magic figure of 19 votes, while the latter was left gasping with 18 votes.

The BJP, which has 79 legislators, got all its four candidates, D S Veeraiah, Janardhana Reddy, Thontadarya and Vimla Gowda elected safely in the first and second rounds.

The results were declared by returning officer and legislative council secretary Jaishankar Murthy after a day-long polling that was marred by charges and counter-charges of cross-voting, horse-trading and intimidation.

JD-S spokesman YSV Dutta told reporters the party's nominee, Shetty, lost because of the 'over-confidence' within the legislature party.

'We expected Shetty to win in the first round (of counting) and did not think the process could extend to next round of counting,' Dutta rued.

Meanwhile, a beaming Congress celebrated Sudarshan's victory.

'We have taught them (the JD-S/BJP combine) a lesson and shown politics of convenience will not work in Karnataka. I hope JD-S chief H.D. Deve Gowda and state Chief Minister Kumaraswamy take note of our party's performance,' opposition leader and former chief minister N Dharam Singh said.

UNI Report

Bangalore: Janata Dal (Secular), the ruling coalition partner in Karnataka, on Thursday suffered a jolt when its fourth candidate Amarnath Shetty lost, while its ally Bharatiya Janata Party and the main Opposition Congress bagged four seats each in the biennial elections to the Legislative Council from the 225-member Karnataka Assembly.

The elections, held to fill eleven seats falling vacant on June 17, saw the JD(S) which had fielded four candidates winning only three, with the fourth nominee Shetty losing out.

With its effective strength of 58, including nine members of the All India Progressive Janata Dal, who have been suspended, the JD(S) could on its own win only three seats. However, it had fielded a fourth candidate to test the waters. The AIPJD members, who were vocal about defying JD(S) whip, played a crucial role in the defeat of Mr Shetty.

The elections witnessed a tie for the eleventh seat between the Congress and the JD(S), with the Congress nominee and Council Chairman V R Sudarshan emerging victorious after second round of counting.

In the first round, eight candidates emerged clear victors, with BJP nominees Janardhan Reddy and D S Veeraiah securing 20 votes each and Thontadharaiah getting the requisite 19 votes. For the Congress, K C Kondaiah, Mottamma and Qaji Arshad Ali got 20 votes each, while the JD(S) nominees Abdul Azim, Chikkamadu and H C Neeravari secured 19 votes.

There was a three-way tie for two seats as BJP candidate Vimla Gowda secured 18 votes, Sudarshan 16 and Shetty only 14 votes. After the secound round of counting in which preferential votes were transferred, Vimla Gowda and Sudarshan were declared elected with an overall tally of 28 and 19.6 votes.