The results of the election to seven seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council are being closely watched as counting continues in Bengaluru amid heightened political tension and speculation over possible cross-voting. The election, held on Thursday, has turned into a prestige battle between the ruling Congress and the BJP–JD(S) alliance.

All 222 eligible MLAs participated in the polling, recording a 100% turnout, according to Karnataka Legislature Secretary and Returning Officer M.K. Vishalakshi. Voting began with JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda casting the first ballot, while Congress MLA Basavaraj Rayareddy was the last to vote before counting commenced at 5 p.m. on the same day.

The contest features eight candidates vying for seven seats, with four Congress candidates and two BJP candidates widely expected to secure comfortable wins. However, the focus has shifted to the seventh seat, which has emerged as a tightly contested battle between Congress candidate Vinay Karthik and NDA nominee K. Govindaraju.

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Both political camps undertook extensive efforts to secure their numbers, with the Congress reportedly housing its MLAs at a resort in Bidadi and conducting training sessions and mock voting exercises to ensure familiarity with the preferential voting system. The BJP–JD(S) alliance, meanwhile, claimed that strategic vote transfers and surplus preferences would strengthen its position.

The suspense intensified after JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda stated that he had voted “according to his conscience,” fuelling speculation about possible deviations from expected party lines. Additionally, expelled BJP MLAs S.T. Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar confirmed they had supported Congress candidates, further adding uncertainty to the outcome.

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar downplayed concerns over cross-voting, stating that legislators were capable of making informed decisions without external influence. As counting progresses, both alliances remain on edge, with the final seat expected to be decided by a narrow margin that could shape the political narrative in the state.

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