Polling began on Friday for four Karnataka Legislative Council seats, putting the ruling Congress against the BJP-JD(S) Opposition alliance in a contest that will test the alliance’s coordination and the parties’ support among graduates and teachers.
Voting started at 8 am and is scheduled to continue until 4 pm, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle. Counting of votes is scheduled for October 27. The constituencies going to the polls are South-East Graduates’, West Graduates’, North-East Teachers’ and Bengaluru Teachers’.
The BJP has fielded candidates in the South-East Graduates’, West Graduates’ and North-East Teachers’ constituencies, while its ally JD(S) is contesting the Bengaluru Teachers’ seat. Congress is competing in all four constituencies and is seeking to retain its existing seat while making gains in the other three.
In the South-East Graduates’ constituency, Congress candidate Shashi Hulikunte Mutt is contesting against BJP candidate K M Suresh. In the West Graduates’ constituency, Congress nominee Mohan Limbikai is facing sitting BJP MLC S V Sankanur. The constituency covers Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada districts, with 14 candidates in the fray.
Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur is contesting against sitting BJP MLC Shashil G Namoshi in the North-East Teachers’ constituency. The constituency includes Bidar, Kalaburagi, Raichur, Yadgir, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara districts, where 13 candidates are contesting.
The Bengaluru Teachers’ contest pits Congress MLC Puttanna against JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath. The contest has added political significance because Puttanna moved from JD(S) to Congress before the last Assembly elections. Both candidates belong to the Vokkaliga community.
The BJP currently holds three of the four seats, while Congress holds the remaining seat. The results will also be watched as a test of whether BJP and JD(S) can transfer support to each other’s candidates after joining forces in the Opposition. JD(S) is seeking to take the Bengaluru Teachers’ seat from Congress.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president B K Hariprasad, ministers and senior Congress leaders campaigned across the constituencies. The election is not expected to affect the stability of the state government, but a strong performance by the Opposition alliance could strengthen its political challenge to the Congress administration, which came to power in 2023.
The 75-member Legislative Council currently has 38 Congress members, 24 BJP members, six JD(S) members and one Independent member, with Chairman Saleem Ahmed. Five seats earmarked for government nominations are vacant. Congress is expected to increase its strength when those vacancies are filled. Counting for the four seats is scheduled for October 27.
