Bengaluru, Oct 27 (PTI) Counting of votes for four Karnataka Legislative Council seats, which witnessed a direct face-off between the ruling Congress and the Opposition BJP-JD(S) alliance, began on Tuesday.
The four constituencies that went to polls on October 23 are South-East Graduates’, West Graduates’, North-East Teachers’ and Bengaluru Teachers’.
While the South-East Graduates’ Constituency witnessed a 73.58 per cent voter turnout, the West Graduates’ Constituency saw 75.62 per cent. The polling percentage was 86.97 per cent in the North-East Teachers’ Constituency, and 81.98 per cent in the Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency.
The contest is seen as a test of the BJP-JD(S) coalition’s coordination and the ruling party’s support base among graduates and teachers.
A total of 43 candidates were in the electoral fray from all four seats.
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.
In the South-East Graduates’ constituency, Congress candidate Shashi Hulikunte Mutt was pitted against BJP’s K M Suresh. In the West Graduates’ constituency, Congress nominee Mohan Limbikai faced sitting BJP MLC S V Sankanur.
In the North-East Teachers’ constituency, Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur contested against BJP’s sitting MLC Shashil G Namoshi. In Bengaluru Teachers’, Congress MLC Puttanna faced JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath.
The BJP currently holds three of the four seats and is seeking to retain them, while the JD(S) aims to wrest the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency from the Congress. The elections will test whether the two alliance partners can transfer their support to each other’s candidates.
The Bengaluru contest is significant as Puttanna had switched from the JD(S) to the Congress ahead of the last Assembly elections. Both Puttanna and Ranganath belong to the Vokkaliga community.
The Congress is seeking to retain its lone seat and make gains in the other constituencies.
Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Karnataka Congress president B K Hariprasad, ministers and senior party leaders had campaigned across the constituencies.
Though the results are not expected to affect the stability of the state government, a strong showing by the Opposition alliance could provide it with political ammunition against the Congress government, which came to power in 2023.
The 75-member Legislative Council currently has 38 Congress members, 24 from the BJP, six from the JD(S), one Independent and Chairman Saleem Ahmed. Five seats earmarked for government nominations are vacant.
The Congress is expected to increase its strength when the vacancies are filled, limiting the impact of the election results on the overall balance of power in the House. PTI KSU KH
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.