Congress Sweeps Karnataka Council Polls While NDA Suffers

The ruling Congress won five of the seven seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections on Thursday, securing a result that went beyond its numerical strength in the Assembly. The BJP managed to win two seats, while the lone JD(S) candidate lost to Congress’s fifth nominee in a closely fought contest. Congress, which officially has 135 MLAs, polled 151 votes, gaining 16 more votes than its strength. All five Congress candidates were elected in the first round of counting, indicating support from outside the party ranks.

NDA faces vote shortfall as questions emerge over cross-voting

The BJP, which has 64 MLAs, saw its two candidates secure a combined 56 votes, eight fewer than expected. BJP candidate Lingaraj Patil received 27 votes against the 30 earmarked for him, while Raghu K polled 29 votes, one short of his quota.

JD(S), which has 18 MLAs, faced a similar setback. Its candidate secured only 14 votes. Under the NDA arrangement, the BJP had assigned three of its MLAs to support the JD(S) nominee, taking the expected tally to 21. However, the candidate finished with just 14 votes, ending up seven votes short.

Opposition seeks answers as Congress dismisses allegations

After the counting concluded, a major question emerged: “Where did 12 NDA votes go?” Reacting to the outcome, Karnataka BJP leaders said they would identify those responsible for cross-voting and take action against them. The combined NDA shortfall stood at 12 votes, including eight from the BJP and four from JD(S). It is still unclear how many votes crossed over to Congress and how many were declared invalid. Election officials are yet to release a final breakdown.

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the Congress had no information about cross-voting. “Some of them might have cast a conscience vote, and allegations made by the BJP and JDS are frustration,” Shivakumar said.

The Chief Minister further added that as both Shivaram Hebbar and ST Somashekar were expelled from the BJP and wanted to be accommodated, “we gave them space, and they voted in favour of their conscience,” he said.

First electoral test for Shivakumar ends in a major victory

Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala described the outcome as a “vote for positive politics.”

“In the first round of the Legislative Council elections, all five Congress candidates won with a landslide victory. Congress had 135 votes, but it won 151. The BJP lost 7 votes, falling short of 64, and the Janata Dal won 14 votes instead of 18,” Surjewala said.

“This vote is a vote for positive politics. On one side is the negative politics of the BJP and the negative politics of the Janata Dal, which wanted to abolish the Congress’s 5 guarantees,” he added.

Congress credits welfare guarantees as officials await final vote details

“Today, their own MLAs expressed no confidence in the BJP and Janata Dal leadership, stating that the Congress’s 5 guarantees, through which Rs 56,000 crore are being transferred annually to the accounts of the poor, ordinary women, and the needy, are the correct policy… The BJP and the Janata Dal want to end these guarantees.”

The result marks a significant victory in D.K. Shivakumar’s first electoral challenge as Chief Minister. Congress’s fifth candidate defeated the JD(S) nominee in a tightly contested battle, with cross-voting from both BJP and JD(S) ranks believed to have played a key role in helping Congress secure the extra seat.

Clarity on the exact number of cross-votes and invalid votes is still awaited from election officials.

(with inputs from ANI)

Also Read: Jharkhand Rajya Sabha Polls: NDA-Backed Parimal Nathwani Wins As Cross-Voting Deals Blow To INDIA Bloc

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