Counting of votes cast in the election for the 25 seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council began on Tuesday, December 14. In the elections which were held on December 10, the ruling BJP party needed to win 13 seats to attain a majority in the Council. The party had won seven seats in the last polls. The opposition Congress and JD(S) are also looking up to the results and are hoping that BJP doesn't gain a majority.
If the ruling BJP manages to attain a majority, it is expected to help the prospect of Chief Minister Basavara Bommai within the party. The JD(S), which rejected the proposal of alliance by the state BJP, will lose the position of chairperson in the upper house if BJP attains power. Presently, JD(S) MLC Basavaraj Horatti is the chairperson of the Council. The state's ruling BJP and the Congress have fielded candidates in 20 constituencies, while the JD(S) is contesting in six and the AAP in three constituencies.
While, there is a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress in 13 constituencies, the stage is set for a triangle battle in eight seats. Strong independent candidates are in the fray in Belagavi and Dharwad constituencies. The results are regarded by many as a precursor for the 2023 state Assembly elections.
Of the 90 candidates trying their luck, 89 are male and the lone female contender is Congress' Gayathri Shanthe Gowda. Voter turnout was more than 99%. While former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa had announced that the BJP would win at least 15 seats, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Siddaramaiah had claimed that the BJP is in for a defeat as the people are fed up with its policies. The JD(S) has rejected the offer of alliance by the BJP and expressed confidence of winning all six seats it is contesting.