Bengaluru, June 19 (ANI): The Congress party scored a decisive victory in the Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) elections, winning all five seats it contested and securing support beyond its numerical strength in the Assembly. The results also exposed significant cross-voting within the BJP-JD(S) alliance, prompting opposition leaders to launch an internal review.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar described the outcome as a “very big mandate” for the government and its policies. He said the election itself was unexpected, as he had initially believed there would be no contest.
“The BJP and JD(S) wanted to fight the elections. The Congress leadership under Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi selected candidates who have worked tirelessly for the party across the country,” Shivakumar said after the results were announced.
Thanking legislators who supported Congress candidates, he claimed that MLAs from different political parties had voted in favor of the ruling party because they endorsed the government’s policies and welfare programs.
“Many legislators cutting across party lines have voted in favour of the government. They have agreed with our policies. This is the result of the unity of the Congress party,” he said.
Congress Secures More Votes Than Its Strength
The Congress, which has 135 MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly, secured 151 votes, enabling all five of its candidates to be elected in the first round itself. The BJP won the remaining two seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) failed to secure representation in the Council.
Congress General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala termed the outcome a “landslide victory” and said the results demonstrated support that extended well beyond the party’s legislative numbers.
“Congress had 135 votes but secured 151. The BJP fell short of its expected tally, and the JD(S) also failed to secure the votes it anticipated,” Surjewala said.
He argued that the results represented an endorsement of the Congress government’s flagship welfare initiatives, particularly its five guarantee schemes.
“MLAs voted with an overwhelming majority for positive politics. This is a vote in favour of the Congress government’s welfare agenda,” Surjewala said.
According to him, the five guarantee schemes, under which nearly Rs 56,000 crore is transferred annually to beneficiaries including women, the poor, and economically weaker sections, have gained widespread acceptance among legislators and the public.
Cross-Voting Hits BJP and JD(S)
The election results highlighted notable cross-voting within the opposition ranks.
The BJP, which has 64 MLAs, managed only 56 votes for its two candidates. BJP candidate Lingaraj Patil received 27 votes against an expected 30, while Raghu Koutalya secured 29 votes, one short of his target.
The JD(S), which has 18 MLAs, received only 14 votes for its candidate. Under the NDA seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP had directed three of its MLAs to support the JD(S) nominee, which should have taken the total tally to 21 votes. However, the candidate ultimately received just 14 votes, falling seven votes short.
The figures indicate substantial cross-voting and possible invalid ballots within the BJP-JD(S) camp.
BJP Vows Action Against Rebels
Reacting to the setback, Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka said the party would identify and take action against those responsible for cross-voting.
“It will be known who did this. Those who betrayed the party will be caught,” Ashoka told reporters.
While expressing satisfaction over the victory of BJP candidates Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Koutalya, he acknowledged that some votes had been lost due to cross-voting and an invalid ballot.
“We will examine who cross-voted and why they did it. The matter will be discussed on the party platform,” he said.
Political Significance
The MLC election outcome has strengthened the Congress government’s political position in Karnataka, with party leaders portraying the results as a validation of its governance model and welfare guarantees. At the same time, the cross-voting episode has raised questions about unity within the BJP-JD(S) alliance, setting the stage for further political scrutiny in the state.
Election officials are yet to provide complete details regarding the exact number of cross-votes and invalid ballots.
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