By Political Bureau, Bangalore Mail

NEW DELHI / BENGALURU — The political temperature within the Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reached a boiling point. BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra and Leader of the Opposition (LoP) R. Ashoka have traveled to New Delhi for a high-stakes meeting with BJP National President Nitin Nabin, following an embarrassing cross-voting debacle during the recently concluded Legislative Council (MLC) elections.

The meeting, which also included State BJP in-charge Radha Mohan Das Agrawal, comes amid immense displeasure from the party’s central high command over the open rebellion and breach of discipline by a section of state legislators.

The Cross-Voting Debacle

The MLC elections for seven seats delivered a severe blow to the opposition BJP-JD(S) alliance. While the ruling Congress capitalized on the secret ballot to sweep five seats, the regional ally JD(S) lost its lone contested seat despite assurance of vote transfers from the BJP.

Initial calculations indicate that around 11 legislators from the opposition alliance cross-voted in favor of the Congress, with the BJP suspecting that at least four to five of its own MLAs defied the party whip.

While R. Ashoka maintained that the state leadership had proactively “sought an appointment” rather than being aggressively “summoned,” the gravity of the Delhi briefing signals deep central intervention.

“Hunting Down the Thieves”: Ashoka Alleges Monetary Betrayal

Speaking to reporters ahead of the crucial high-command meeting, an aggressive R. Ashoka did not mince words, alleging that the dissenting MLAs were lured by financial gains rather than constituency development.

“We are going to hunt down the thieves. No one would cross-vote for free. They accepted money from the Congress and did so. Some claim these people accepted money for development—whose development? It is for their own personal development,” Ashoka remarked.

BJP State Chief B.Y. Vijayendra echoed similar sentiments, stating that the betrayal has forced the party to view its legislators with suspicion, heavily damaging the party’s image among grassroot workers who fought tirelessly during the elections.

Internal Probe and Dropped “Truth Tests”

To pinpoint the exact legislators who breached the party whip in the secret ballot, the Karnataka BJP has constituted a three-member fact-finding committee led by MLC C.T. Ravi, alongside party leaders N. Mahesh and Mahesh Tenginakayi. An interim report from this committee is expected to be placed directly before Nitin Nabin during the Delhi deliberations.

The internal turmoil also triggered dramatic headlines when Vijayendra initially proposed a “truth test” at the sacred Sri Kshetra Dharmasthala temple, suggesting that MLAs take a solemn oath before Lord Manjunatha to prove their loyalty. However, following sharp criticism from senior leaders, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and MLA S. Suresh Kumar—who warned against dragging religious institutions into political scandals—the idea was swiftly dropped.

What Lies Ahead for Karnataka BJP?

The outcome of the meeting with Nitin Nabin could dictate a potential organizational shake-up within the Karnataka BJP unit. While the top leadership insists disciplinary action will be swift once individual identities are confirmed, the immediate challenge remains keeping the remaining flock together in the face of an aggressive Congress strategy under Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.