Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday said the Congress candidates will get “conscience votes” from JD(S) and BJP in the Rajya Sabha elections scheduled on February 27.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “We too have friends across parties. Our candidates will get conscience votes in the Rajya Sabha elections.” He was responding to reporters on the possibility of cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha election as JD(S) candidate Kuppendra Reddy, who has friends across parties, has entered the fray.
Congress has fielded Syed Naseer Hussein, G.C. Chandrashekar, and Delhi party leader Ajay Maken for Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka. There are four seats and the Congress is hoping to win three seats.
Asked how many conscience votes Congress candidates may get from other parties, Mr. Shivakumar said he would comment on that after the polls. Replying to questions on fielding former Union Minister Ajay Maken from Karnataka, he said: “Ask the JD(S) and BJP who had fielded outsiders in the past.”
Asked about the Supreme Court’s ruling on electoral bonds, he said, “This is a historic judgment. I congratulate them for their courage. Judgments like this are needed to save democracy in the country.”