Results to be announced later in the evening today

Bengaluru: Amidst speculations of cross voting in all three parties, the voting for the four Rajya Sabha (RS) seats from the State, began at Vidhana Soudha here this morning.

While the ruling Congress has fielded three candidates considering its numerical strength in the Assembly, the Opposition BJP has fielded a lone candidate. However, the contest has taken curiosity with the entry of the fifth candidate fielded by the BJP-JD(S) combine.

The Congress has fielded former Union Minister Ajay Maken, Syed Nasir Hussain and G.C. Chandrashekar, while the BJP has fielded Narayansa Bhandage. The JD(S), which has become a part of NDA, has fielded former MP Kupendra Reddy as the NDA candidate with support from BJP, in the hope of upsetting the Congress party’s apple cart in respect of the third seat.

Congress has 134 MLAs in the Assembly, BJP – 66 and JD(S) – 19. Congress lost one of its MLAs Raja Venkatappa Nayaka, who passed away on Sunday, two days before the polls.

Each candidate requires the votes of 45 MLAs to record a win and the Congress with its 134 MLAs and of support from independents, is sure to win all the three seats it is contesting, while the BJP candidate Narayansa Bhandage is sure to win from one of the 4 seats. However, curiosity only exists whether NDA candidate Kupendra Reddy will pull off a surprise win.

Meanwhile, in an interesting development, BJP MLA from Yeshwanthpur, S.T. Somashekar is said to have voted in favour of the Congress candidate, in defiance of the party. Somashekar has been keeping away from BJP activities since the past few months and was frequently seen with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Like Somashekar, another BJP MLA Shivaram Hebbar too is likely to cross vote.

The voting which began at 9 am, will continue till 4 pm, following which the counting of votes will be taken up and the results will be declared later this evening.