Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the Congress's performance in the Legislative Council elections, saying the results reflected growing public confidence in the state government.
The Congress managed to secure 11 additional votes, including support from three BJP MLAs and six JD-S MLAs who reportedly cross-voted in favour of its five candidates - B.K. Hariprasad, Tippannappa Kamakanur, P.V. Mohan, B.S. Shivanna, and Vinay Karthik, making them victorious.
The development is seen as a boost for Chief Minister Shivakumar and a setback for the BJP and JD-S. It is also a setback for JD-S leader and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, who took the election as a matter of prestige and challenged CM Shivakumar.
Addressing reporters after the declaration of results, Shivakumar said he was surprised by the extent of support received by the Congress candidates. "I am surprised by the level of support our government has received from legislators. It sends a clear message that the people are with us and that MLAs have supported us across party lines.
Our MLAs remained united and stood by the party. I want to assure them that I will uphold the trust they have placed in us. This is a government of the people, and we will continue to serve the people. This strength has been given to us by the people," he said.
To questions about cross-voting, Shivakumar said he had no information regarding which legislators may have voted in favour of Congress candidates. "I do not know who cross-voted. It was a secret ballot, and no one can know for certain.
They may have voted based on their trust and confidence in our government. I never approached anyone seeking their vote. I was confident that all five Congress candidates would win. I do not know what is happening within the BJP and JD-S camps," he added.
The Chief Minister also thanked the Congress high command and party leaders who worked for the election. "I thank AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and the party secretaries who came to Karnataka and worked for the election," he said.
State Congress President Hariprasad thanked the party leadership and legislators for ensuring the victory of all five Congress candidates. "I thank Rahul Gandhi and the Congress leadership for their guidance and support. We will honour and retain the trust reposed in us.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah extended full cooperation during the election process, and I thank him as well," he said. Deputy Chief Minister G. Parameshwara also congratulated the five victorious Congress candidates, expressing confidence that they would effectively represent the interests of the people and strengthen democratic values.
In a statement, Parameshwara said they would respond to the aspirations and expectations of the people through their experience, commitment, and concern for public welfare. He added that the members would effectively represent the interests of Karnataka while further strengthening the democratic values of the state.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge said the Congress remains committed to the comprehensive development of Karnataka, social justice, communal harmony, and public welfare. He added that the party would continue to work with dedication towards public service and the welfare of the people in the days ahead.
Congress General Secretary and state in-charge Surjewala said the results of the Karnataka Legislative Council elections were a significant endorsement of the Congress government's welfare-oriented policies and the politics of justice championed by Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.
In a post on X, Surjewala described the election outcome as "path-breaking" and said it reflected the unconditional acceptance of the Congress's welfare agenda by legislators across party lines. He pointed out that while the Congress has 135 legislators in the Karnataka Assembly and the support of three additional legislators, including an SKP member and Independents, taking its effective strength to 138, the party's candidates secured 151 first-preference votes in the election.
According to Surjewala, the results demonstrated a clear political divide in Karnataka. He said one side was represented by the Congress and its five guarantee schemes, through which the state government has transferred nearly Rs ₹56,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of beneficiaries across Karnataka.
On the other side, he said, were the BJP and JD(S), which he claimed opposed the Congress guarantees and sought to abolish them. He accused the two parties of pursuing politics centred on caste divisions and religious polarisation. Surjewala argued that legislators from different political parties had crossed party lines to support Congress candidates because they endorsed the policies and welfare programmes implemented by the state government.
Describing the outcome as a broader endorsement of the Congress government's approach, Surjewala said the result was a vote for positivity, welfare, inclusive politics, guarantees, and the people of Karnataka.