JD (S) abstains from Presidential polls

The Janata Dal (S), which is heading the ruling coalition in Karnataka, stayed away from the Presidential election.

Ignoring a fervent appeal by its coalition partner BJP, the JD (S) MLAs abstained from voting, which was held at Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat.

The JD (S) announced its decision to keep away from the Presidential elections after party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda convened a meeting of the party legislators at Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy’s residence in Bangalore on Wednesday.

“We have decided to abstain from voting during the Presidential elections in line with the party stand to remain equidistant from the BJP and the Congress”, JD (S) spokesperson Y S V Datta told reporters.

Fielding reporters queries, Datta said the party had to enter into an alliance with the BJP in the State to “avoid frequent elections”. “It is a purely local arrangement to avoid frequent elections”, he said.

Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate Pratibha Patil is pitted against National Democratic Alliance (NDA)-backed independent candidate Bhairon Singh Shekawath in the Presidential polls for which election was held amidst tight security at Vidhana Soudha here.

Deputy Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, who had called on Gowda two days ago seeking the support of JD (S) for Shekawath’s candidature. But, despite being a coalition partner with BJP in Karnataka, JD (S) decided to spurn the request and stayed away from the polls yesterday.

However, eight JD (S) rebels, who are followers of former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, cocked a snook at Gowda and declared their support to Pratibha Patil.
The value of each MLA’s vote is 131 in Karnataka, which has a total of 224 members. While the BJP has 78 members, the Congress has 69 members in the Karnataka Assembly. JD (S) has a total strength of 59 members