Bengaluru,  Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday left for New Delhi to meet top BJP leaders and discuss strategies on elections to the state Legislative Council.

 

If BJP succeeds in obtaining a majority in the council, it will create a history.

Bommai is likely to meet up with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President J.P. Nadda and other top leaders as the elections to 25 seats of the council known as the upper house is seen as "crucial".

After the defeat at Hangal Assembly constituency, the ruling BJP, especially Chief Minister Bommai, wants to prove his abilities to win elections. He is all set to strategise with top leaders to achieve a majority in council elections as the BJP was not able to achieve it so far. He had already held meetings with top leaders in the state regarding elections. He is likely to get approval for candidates during his trip.

The elections to 25 council seats from 20 districts is scheduled to be held on December 10 and results will be announced on December 14. The notification will be issued on November 16. The results are crucial for the BJP as presently it is at the mercy of opposition parties when it comes to passing crucial bills.

The council has 75 members and 38 seats are needed for a majority. Currently, the BJP has 32 seats, Congress 29 and JD(S) 12 members. The BJP will have to win 12 seats to achieve majority in Legislative Council.

Opposition Congress will have to bag 23 seats among the 25 to get a majority.

Presently, Basavaraj Horatti from JD(S) is the Speaker of the council, but if BJP achieves majority, it can have its candidate as the Speaker in the upper house. Among the 25 seats heading for elections, six are presently held by BJP.

Before leaving for New Delhi, Bommai stated that he would meet central ministers and he also sought the appointment of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "I am hopeful of getting an appointment on Thursday. I will also discuss interstate water disputes on Cauvery and Krishna with advocates, he said. He is also scheduled to attend a media conclave during his two-day trip.