Published Oct 28, 2026 | 11:22 AM ⚊ Updated Oct 28, 2026 | 11:23 AM
The elections were held on 23 October, with 43 candidates contesting across the four constituencies.
Synopsis: The Congress has lost all four Karnataka Legislative Council seats that went to polls, with the BJP retaining three and its ally, the JD(S), winning the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency. JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath defeated five-time MLC Puttanna by 908 votes, while the BJP retained both teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies.
The ruling Congress in Karnataka has lost all four Legislative Council seats that went to polls, with the BJP retaining three constituencies and its alliance partner, the JD(S), wresting the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency from the Congress.
JD(S) candidate AP Ranganath defeated five-time MLC and former Legislative Council Deputy Chairman Puttanna by 908 votes in Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency. Ranganath secured 10,810 votes against Puttanna’s 9,902, reversing the outcome of the 2024 by-election, when Puttanna defeated Ranganath after switching from the JD(S) to the Congress ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections.
In the North-East Teachers’ constituency, sitting BJP MLC Shashil G Namoshi retained his seat, defeating Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur by 3,297 votes. Namoshi polled 15,596 votes against Mattur’s 12,299.
The BJP also retained both graduates’ constituencies. In West Graduates’ constituency, sitting MLC SV Sankanur secured a third consecutive victory, defeating Congress nominee Mohan Limbikai by 9,323 votes. Sankanur received 33,711 votes against Limbikai’s 24,388.
In South-East Graduates’ constituency, BJP candidate KM Suresh defeated Congress candidate Shashi Hulikunte Mutt. Suresh polled 66,020 votes, while Hulikunte Mutt received 42,922.
Voter turnout was 81.98 percent in Bengaluru Teachers’, 86.97 percent in North-East Teachers’, 73.58 percent in South-East Graduates’ and 75.62 percent in West Graduates’.
The elections were held on 23 October, with 43 candidates contesting across the four constituencies.
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JD(S) leader Nikhil Kumaraswamy took a swipe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi following the results.
“No EVM to blame, state machinery in your hands, and election conducted via paper ballots. Yet NDA wins the Bengaluru Teachers’ seat,” he wrote on X, tagging Gandhi.
“What’s today’s excuse, Paper Chori?”
The results come as the BJP and JD(S) seek to strengthen their coordination as Opposition alliance partners in Karnataka ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
