The JD(S) has wrested the Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency seat in the Karnataka Legislative Council from the ruling Congress, dealing a setback to the party in an election conducted through ballot papers.
NDA candidate AP Ranganath defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna by 908 votes, triggering a political attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his criticism of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Ranganath, who contested as the joint candidate of the BJP and JD(S), secured 10,810 votes, while Puttanna received 9,902 votes.
Reacting to the result, JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, who has repeatedly questioned the credibility of EVMs and called for a return to ballot paper voting.
In a post on X addressed to Gandhi, Nikhil wrote, “Now that educated teachers voted on paper right under your government’s nose, what’s today’s excuse, ‘Paper Chori’?”
He also congratulated Ranganath and the BJP and JD(S) leaders and workers who campaigned for the NDA candidate.
The result comes amid the Congress’s opposition to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and its demands for ballot paper voting. The party has repeatedly raised concerns about the use of EVMs, alleging that the system favours the BJP.
BJP Leads in Three Other Bengaluru Constituencies
The Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency was one of four Legislative Council seats that went to polls on October 23. While the JD(S) secured a victory in Bengaluru, BJP candidates were 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, sitting BJP 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 contests are being watched as a test of coordination between the BJP and JD(S), which are alliance partners, particularly their ability to secure support for each other’s candidates.
The Bengaluru Teachers’ Constituency contest was especially significant because Puttanna had moved from the JD(S) to the Congress ahead of the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections. Both Puttanna and Ranganath belong to the Vokkaliga community.
The Congress had campaigned to retain the seat and improve its performance 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 Congress candidates.
Despite the setback, the result was not expected to alter the stability of the state government.
The 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council has 38 Congress members, 24 BJP members and six JD(S) members, along with one Independent and Chairman Saleem Ahmed. Five seats reserved for government nominations are vacant. The Congress is expected to increase its strength when these vacancies are filled.
HD Kumaraswamy Calls Victory a Historic Mandate
JD(S) leader and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy described Ranganath’s victory as a historic mandate and credited the BJP-JD(S) alliance for the result.
In a post on X, Kumaraswamy said the outcome 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 those in power, and congratulated NDA leaders and workers who campaigned for Ranganath.
Kumaraswamy also expressed confidence that NDA candidates would win the other three constituencies where counting was underway. He said the result offered hope for political change and set the tone for the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections.
Crediting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda for inspiring the alliance, Kumaraswamy said the outcome highlighted the importance of unity between the BJP and JD(S).