Congress Wins Five Karnataka Legislative Council Seats, Boosting CM DK Shivakumar

On June 18, 2026, Karnataka held elections for seven Legislative Council seats. The ruling Congress secured five of the seven seats, while the BJP won the remaining two and the JD(S) lost its sole contest. Congress candidates received a total of 151 first‑preference votes, exceeding the party’s 135‑MLA strength by 16 votes, thanks to cross‑voting by several BJP and JD(S) legislators. The BJP’s two candidates, Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya, together gathered 56 votes, short of the party’s 64‑MLA tally, and one BJP vote was declared invalid. JD(S) candidate Govindaraju obtained only 14 votes. Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar hailed the result as a “very big mandate” and an endorsement of the government’s welfare guarantees, while Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala called it a “landslide victory.” BJP leaders acknowledged cross‑voting allegations and pledged to identify the legislators involved. The election was seen as the first major test for Shivakumar’s leadership since assuming the chief ministership earlier in June.