Bengaluru, Nov 3 Ruling Congress MLA K N Rajanna on Tuesday said the sting operation controversy could have contributed to the party’s defeat in the recent Legislative Council election, and called for accountability among Congress legislators, including himself.
The Congress lost elections to all four MLC seats, whose results were declared on October 28.
Rajanna said all 26 Congress MLAs from the 35 Assembly segments falling under the South-East graduates’ constituency should take responsibility for the defeat and resign, as the party had failed to win despite having a substantial number of legislators in the region.
“Despite having 26 Congress MLAs in these 35 Assembly segments, we could not win. If we could not win despite having 26 MLAs, all 26 of us should take responsibility and resign. I should also be included in that,” Rajanna told reporters here.
In the elections to four vacant Legislative Council seats, the JD(S) won the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency, while the BJP retained the North-East Teachers’, South-East Graduates’ and West Graduates’ constituencies.
The former minister said the sting operation controversy might have influenced voters and they expressed their dissatisfaction through their votes.
“It definitely would have (an impact). Because all those who voted are educated people. They assess and analyse every issue themselves. They also have an opportunity to express their dissatisfaction through their votes. I believe that has happened,” he said.
Rajanna also called for an appropriate investigation into the sting operation, saying the priority should be to establish the truth rather than debate the level of the probe.
“Whether it is a high-level or a lower-level investigation, the truth should come out. That is the main intention of everybody,” he said.
Referring to former CM Siddaramaiah’s recent meeting with MP and top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Rajanna said he understood that Siddaramaiah had explained in detail the developments surrounding the sting operation, its adverse impact on the party and the damage to his personal reputation.
“I had spoken to him even before his meeting. I have not spoken to him after the meeting. I will speak to him today,” he said.
Rajanna further said conflicting statements about not contesting elections and subsequently not campaigning could adversely affect the party.
“There is no doubt that all these developments will have a greater adverse impact on the party,” he said.
He said all legislators had a responsibility to implement decisions taken by the party and should be held accountable if they failed to do so.
“If we have failed to discharge that responsibility, then all of us have committed a mistake. There must also be accountability and punishment for that mistake,” he added.
The ruling party was hit by a sting operation allegedly against Siddaramaiah.
According to the former Chief Minister, it was a defamatory video posted on social media. He alleged that Congress leader Kripa Alva was behind it. The party sacked her for six years.
The Congress has blamed JD(S) for the campaign against Siddaramaiah, while Siddaramaiah’s son and Minister Yathindra Siddaramaiah has alleged that some Congress leaders were also involved in it.
(PTI News)
