CM Gowda set to sail through K'taka council bypoll

As Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda prepares to face an acid test in the Karnataka legislative assembly on Thursday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs have been locked up at the posh Golden Palms resort in the outskirts of Bangalore.

Gowda will have to face an election to the legislative council on Thursday in order to continue serving as the chief minister.

Currently he is a Member of Parliament and in order to serve in the state assembly he has to be elected member of the legislative council.

However, the BJP does not want to take any chances of horse trading and has decided to guard its MLAs until voting commences at 9 am on Thursday.

They will be taken to the assembly housed in the Vidhan Soudha at 9 am directly.

At the moment it appears as though Gowda will walk through the elections easily. The BJP has its full strength and also the support of 5 independents.

The Janata Dal-Secular which had first decided to vote in favour of the Congress candidate has not made up its mind on the final decision as of now.

Sriramulu, who had broken away from the BJP, will vote for the Congress candidate, but with the support of just 3 MLAs, he will not be able to upset the chief minister.