Karnataka MLAs back in the resort ahead of the RS polls

No election in Karnataka is conducted without drama. Now ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections, the politics of resorts has returned. The all important 10 independent candidates have been whisked away to the J W Marriott Hotel in Mumbai and asked to stay there until the 9th of the month. The RS polls in Karnataka will be held on June 10.

The task of safeguarding these MLAs has been assigned to Yeshwanthpur MLA, S Somashekhar. The Congress needs 12 votes if it has ensure the election of its third candidate, K C Ramamurthy. However it is still not clear how many MLAs have been taken away to Mumbai, but sources say that a majority of them are there.

Return of resort politics:

Karnataka has witnessed several such incidents over the past 8 years. Each time there is a trust vote or a new government is about to be formed, the all important independents in particular get an all expense paid resort treat. This time around it is no different and the votes of the 12 MLAs including independents and others is extremely crucial.

The BJP needs just one vote to push its candidate into the Rajya Sabha. The JD(S) would need 5. The entire drama is to ensure that the JD(S) does not get the 5 votes and also the Congress gets 12. The Congress will have no problem in pushing its first two candidates into the RS as they are assured 45 votes each. However in the case of Ramamurthy they are falling 12 short and hence this entire drama has been orchestrated.