In a setback to the ruling Congress in Karnataka, the JD(S) on Tuesday wrested the Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency seat in the Legislative Council from the party, with NDA candidate AP Ranganath defeating sitting Congress MLC Puttanna despite the election being conducted through ballot papers.The result prompted a dig from JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy at Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who has repeatedly questioned the credibility of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and demanded a return to ballot paper voting.Ranganath, a JD(S) leader, who is the joint candidate of the BJP-JD(S) alliance, secured 10,810 votes against Puttanna's 9,902, defeating him by a margin of 908 votes.Taking a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, Nikhil Kumaraswamy said there were no EVMs to blame this time, as the election was held through ballot papers and the Congress was in power in Karnataka. "Now that educated teachers voted on paper right under your government's nose, what's today's excuse, 'Paper Chori'?" he wrote in a post on X, addressing Rahul Gandhi.He also congratulated Ranganath and workers and leaders of the BJP and JD(S) for the victory. The result came at a politically significant moment, with the Congress protesting against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and demanding that elections be conducted using ballot papers.
The party has also repeatedly raised concerns over the use of EVMs, claiming that it favours the BJP.BJP LEADS IN 3 OTHER BENGALURU SEATSThe Bengaluru Teachers' Constituency was among four Legislative Council seats that went to polls on October 23. While the JD(S) wrested the Bengaluru Teachers' seat from the Congress, the BJP was leading in the other three constituencies as counting continued, according to official sources.In the South-East Graduates' Constituency, BJP candidate K M Suresh was leading against Congress nominee Shashi Hulikunte Mutt.
In the North-East Teachers' Constituency, BJP's sitting MLC Shashil G Namoshi was ahead of Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur. In the West Graduates' Constituency, sitting BJP MLC SV Sankanur was leading against Congress candidate Mohan Limbikai.The results were being seen as a test of coordination between the BJP and JD(S), which are alliance partners, and their ability to transfer votes to each other's candidates.The Bengaluru Teachers' Constituency contest was particularly significant as Puttanna had switched from the JD(S) to the Congress ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls.
Both Puttanna and Ranganath belong to the Vokkaliga community.The Congress had sought to retain its lone seat and make gains in the other constituencies. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee working president B K Hariprasad, ministers and senior party leaders campaigned for the party's candidates.The outcome, however, was not expected to affect the stability of the state government.
The 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council currently has 38 Congress members, 24 from the BJP and six from the JD(S), besides 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 Upper House.HD KUMARASWAMY CALLS VICTORY A HISTORIC MANDATEJD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy described Ranganath's victory as a historic mandate, saying it reflected the strength of the BJP-JD(S) alliance.In a post on X, Kumaraswamy said the result showed that "lies, misgovernance, money power and muscle power" had been defeated.
He thanked teachers for rejecting what he described as the temptations and arrogance of power, and congratulated the NDA workers and leaders who campaigned for the candidate.Kumaraswamy also expressed confidence that NDA candidates would win the remaining three constituencies where counting was underway. He said the victory offered hope for political change and set the tone for the 2028 Karnataka Assembly polls.He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda for inspiring the alliance, and said the result demonstrated the importance of unity between the BJP and JD(S).- Ends(with inputs from PTI)