New Delhi, April 20: BJP President Nitin Gadkari today held a meeting with party MLAs from Jammu and Kashmir, seven of whom had cross-voted in the recent elections to the state Legislative Council, to decide their fate amid indications that no drastic action will be taken against them.
BJP Central leadership had taken strong exception to seven of its 11 MLAs from J & K voting against the party line during elections to choose MLCs. The party Central leadership suspects National Conference and Congress had
bought its MLAs.
BJP sources said though the party is miffed at the action of its MLAs, they may get away with just a serious reprimand from the high command.
The party cannot afford to go for fresh elections to these seats as it may lose them. BJP had increased its tally from one to 11 in the 2008 polls riding on the Amarnath Yatra agitation. There is no such advantage to the party at the
moment.
A decision on the fate of these MLAs is likely to be announced tomorrow, party sources said.
Letting the MLAs get away lightly would, however, weaken Gadkari’s position further.
Two rounds of meetings were held between Gadkari and some of the BJP MLAs from the state.
Party sources said Gadkari may call a meeting of the Parliamentary board soon to take a final decision on the matter.
Despite promising to act strict with Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, when he was charged with nepotism and land-grabbing for his son, Gadkari had to allow him to continue as the party did not want to lose its first government in the South.
Yeddyurappa has a strong hold over the Lingayat voters who have stayed loyal to BJP for several years.
Soon after the the cross-voting on April 13, BJP asked the 11 MLAs to submit their resignations- addressed to the Assembly Speaker- to Gadkari. This was done as the BJP had not been able to identify who the seven culprits were.
Elections for six vacant council seats were held on April 13. NC won three, Congress two and PDP one seat.
BJP candidate Ranjit Singh got only four votes, which proved there was cross-voting.
——–PTI