Bengaluru, June 18 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, R. Ashoka, on Thursday expressed confidence that the party’s two candidates would win the Legislative Council polls, asserting that the BJP has secured sufficient first-preference votes.

Speaking to reporters after casting his vote at the Vidhana Soudha, Ashoka said all BJP legislators had voted in accordance with the party’s directions. “All our MLAs, including Janardhana Reddy and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, have cast their votes in line with the instructions and appeal of the BJP. In total, we have secured 64 votes. There should be no doubt about the victory of our two candidates,” he said.

Ashoka stated that the BJP had ensured sufficient first-preference votes for its candidates, Lingaraj Patil and R. Raghu Kautilya. “Our candidates have received the required number of votes. The surplus three to four first-preference votes have been transferred to the JD(S) candidate. In addition, around 60 second-preference votes have also been allotted to the JD(S). Our objective is to ensure the victory of the JD(S) candidate, who is the NDA nominee,” he said.

Referring to senior JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, Ashoka said he was unaware of how the legislator had voted. “G.T. Deve Gowda came alone and cast his vote. I do not know whom he voted for,” he said.

Following the polling, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka, and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, along with BJP MLAs, extended their best wishes to the party’s Legislative Council candidates, Lingaraj Patil and R. Raghu Kautilya.

The BJP leadership expressed confidence that both candidates would secure victory in the election and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to ensuring the success of the NDA’s overall strategy in the Council polls.

Meanwhile, while polling, high drama unfolded when expelled BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal arrived to cast his vote. As Yatnal came to vote, Congress leader V.S. Ugrappa, who was present at the polling station, raised an objection. Ugrappa argued that Yatnal had publicly written a letter declaring how he intended to vote, and therefore, his ballot should not be allowed to be cast. He urged the Returning Officer to prevent Yatnal’s vote from being placed in the ballot box.

However, BJP polling agents N. Ravi Kumar and K.S. Naveen strongly opposed the objection. After considering the matter, the Election Officer rejected Ugrappa’s objection and permitted Yatnal to cast his vote. Expelled BJP MLA Yatnal had written a letter to BJP National President Nitin Nabin, pledging his support for the party candidate.

–IANS

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