BJP-JD(S) Alliance Sweeps Four Karnataka Council Seats

The BJP-Janata Dal (Secular) alliance won all four Karnataka Legislative Council seats for teachers and graduates, leaving the ruling Congress without a victory in the contests held October 23. The BJP retained three seats, while the JD(S) took Bengaluru Teachers from Congress. In Bengaluru Teachers, JD(S) candidate A.P. Ranganath defeated Congress incumbent Puttanna by 908 votes. Ranganath received 10,810 first-preference votes to Puttanna’s 9,902, according to the returning officer. The electorate recorded 81.98% turnout, with 22,468 of 27,405 registered voters casting ballots. The BJP’s three wins came in NorthEast Teachers, SouthEast Graduates and West Graduates. In NorthEast Teachers, sitting member Shashil G. Namoshi defeated Congress candidate Sharanappa Mattur by 3,297 votes. S.V. Sankanur won West Graduates for the BJP by 9,323 votes, and K.M. Suresh took SouthEast Graduates by 23,098 votes. The results gave the two parties a sweep across the four contests, which were conducted using ballot papers. The alliance had been tested on whether supporters of each party would back the other’s candidates. In Bengaluru, the BJP supported JD(S) nominee Ranganath against...