Bengaluru

The Congress registered a commanding performance in the biennial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council, securing five of the seven seats at stake. The outcome is being viewed as a significant political success for the party under the leadership of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

The victorious Congress candidates are B.K. Hariprasad, Tippannanappa Kamakanoor, P.V. Mohan, Shivanna Malavalli and Vinay Kartik.

Following the results, Shivakumar congratulated the winning candidates and expressed confidence that they would continue serving the people while contributing to Karnataka's development. In a message posted on social media, he praised their victory and wished them success in advancing public welfare and the state's progress.

Speaking to reporters later, Shivakumar said he had initially expected the elections to be uncontested. However, he noted that the BJP and JD(S) decided to enter the fray, leading to a competitive contest. He credited the Congress leadership, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, for selecting candidates who had worked diligently for the organisation.

The chief minister also claimed that the results reflected support that extended beyond party lines, suggesting that legislators from different political backgrounds had backed the Congress candidates. He described the outcome as a reflection of the party's unity and thanked all legislators who voted in favour of the Congress nominees.

Among the winners, Tippannanappa Kamakanoor expressed gratitude to the party leadership and workers. He pledged to continue serving under the Congress banner and said he would work for the welfare of disadvantaged sections while helping strengthen the party ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.

P.V. Mohan dedicated his victory to Congress workers and colleagues, saying the party had recognised his efforts and provided him with an opportunity to contribute further. He assured that he would faithfully carry out any responsibility entrusted to him by the organisation.

Shivanna Malavalli also thanked the Congress leadership at both the state and national levels, including senior leaders such as Siddaramaiah, D.K. Shivakumar and G. Parameshwara. He said his primary focus would remain student welfare and educational development initiatives across Karnataka.

The BJP managed to secure one seat through candidate Raghu R. Kautilya. Reacting to his victory, Kautilya said he was honoured to represent backward communities and reaffirmed the BJP's commitment to social justice, constitutional values and democratic principles.

Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala described the outcome as a strong endorsement of the party's governance model in Karnataka. He claimed that while Congress officially had 135 votes, its candidates received support from 151 legislators, indicating cross-voting in the party's favour.

Surjewala alleged that both the BJP and JD(S) failed to secure their expected vote share and argued that the results reflected support for the Congress government's welfare programmes. According to him, legislators had endorsed the party's development agenda and welfare guarantees, which he said were benefiting millions of people across the state.

Polling for the seven Council seats took place at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., with counting commencing later in the evening. All 222 MLAs exercised their franchise, resulting in a 100 per cent voter turnout. A total of eight candidates contested the elections, including five from Congress, two from the BJP and one from the JD(S).

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Political observers view the outcome as an important indicator of the Congress party's organisational strength in Karnataka and a notable boost for the leadership of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.