Karnataka Congress Accepts Defeat in All Four Legislative Council Seats

Karnataka Congress Reflects on Election Outcome

In the wake of a bruising 4-0 clean sweep, Karnataka Congress President BK Hariprasad on Wednesday accepted the party’s defeat in all four Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies in the Legislative Council elections, saying the results were not a surprise as three of the seats were previously held by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Reacting to the National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s victory despite the use of ballot papers, Hariprasad thanked Congress leaders, legislators, workers and voters who supported the party during the campaign.

“Yes, yes, we have lost all four Teachers’ and Graduates’ seats. I humbly accept the verdict of both graduates and teachers. It has not come as a surprise for us, as three seats were held by the BJP. This is NDA’s victory, not BJP’s. I thank all my Congress leaders, MLAs, MLCs and workers who worked for the last 10 months and the voters,” Hariprasad said.

Party Outlook and Electoral Analysis

He said victory and defeat were part of democracy and asserted that the party would identify and address its shortcomings pointing out to the Samajwadi Party’s victory over the BJP in Varanasi. “Victory and loss are a part of democracy. We accept the verdict. We will fix the loopholes. If this is the indication for the next elections, then in Narendra Modi’s Teachers’ constituency of Varanasi, they have lost badly to the Samajwadi Party. Then this should be an indication to the BJP as well,” he said.

Stance on Voting Methods

Meanwhile, Congress MLA K N Rajanna, speaking in Tumakuru, explained that the party’s opposition to electronic voting machines (EVMs) was a national policy decision taken by its high command. “No, no, as a national policy, our High Command took a decision to oppose these EVMs. So even for these elections where there is a preferential voting system, EVMs will not work. For that reason, they have used these ballot papers. Not only here in Karnataka, wherever there is a preferential voting system, it is also inevitable to have ballot papers,” Rajanna said. On former Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s proposed visit to Delhi, Rajanna said, “Siddaramaiah has made it very clear that when he visits Delhi, if an appointment is given by Rahul Gandhi, then he will go and meet him,” he said.

Election Results Overview

The NDA alliance, made up of the BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) won all four seats (4-0) in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections. These elections were held for two Teachers’ and two Graduates’ seats. The NDA ran three BJP candidates and one JD(S) candidate. In Bengaluru Teachers, JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath defeated five-time Congress MLC Puttanna. In North-East Teachers, BJP candidate Shashil G. Namoshi won for the fifth time, defeating Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur by 3,297 votes (15,596 votes to 12,299). Counting finished in Kalaburagi, where about 30,253 people voted. Of those votes, 28,380 were valid and 1,873 were rejected.

In the graduates’ seats, BJP candidates S.V. Sankanur and K.M. Suresh also won, completing the NDA’s total sweep of all four seats. In the West Graduates’ seat, Sankanur won for the third straight time, defeating Mohan Limbikai of the Congress. (ANI)

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