BJP puzzled over ECI not announcing dates for K'taka by-polls

Bangalore, Oct 15 (UNI) The BJP here has expressed surprise that the Election Commission had not announced byelections to eight Assembly seats in Karnataka along with the polls for five state Assemblies.

Speaking to UNI here today, BJP State unit President Sadananda Gouda expressed surprise over the decision of the ECI not to announce the dates for byelections in the state along with the five state Assemblies of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Delhi and Mizoram.

Byelections are due for eight assembly seats in Karantaka after seven sitting members belonging to the opposition Congress and JD(S) resigned their seats to join the ruling BJP, while the legislator elected from Maddur died.

Winning at least three of these eight seats would mean that BJP would have a majority of its own.

In the May elections, it had won 110 seats in the 224-member House, falling three short of majority. However, it formed the government roping in all the five Independents who were elected in that election.

In a bid to have a majority of its own, the BJP had launched 'operation lotus' and lured seven legislators -- four from the Janata Dal(S) and three from Congress, to its fold. These members had resigned their seats on the assurance that they would be allotted BJP tickets in the byelections.

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