K’taka MLC polls: BJP, Cong win 1 teachers’ seat each

Bengaluru: The ruling BJP and opposition Congress registered victory in one teachers’ constituency each in the biennial election to the Karnataka Legislative Council for which results were declared on Wednesday.

The BJP’s candidate from West Teachers’ constituency Basavaraj Horatti created a history of sorts in the country by getting elected to the Upper House of the legislature for a record eighth term, while former MLA and MP Prakash Hukkeri won the North-West Teachers’ constituency for Congress.

North-West Graduates’, South Graduates’, North-West Teachers’, and West Teachers’ constituencies went for polls on Monday, witnessing an overall voter turnout of 71.01 per cent.

The elections to the four seats of the Upper House of Karnataka Legislature were necessitated as the term of BJP’s Nirani Hanamant Rudrappa (N-W Graduates’) and JD(S)’ K T Srikante Gowda (S-Graduates’), BJP’s Arun Shahpur (N-W Teachers’) and JD(S)’ Basavaraj Horatti (W-Teachers’) are coming to an end on July 4.

It is a major setback for JD(S) as with the two seats it had won last time, the party has lost West Teachers’ and is on the verge of losing South Graduates’ constituency.

Horatti, who was Chairman of the Legislative Council until recently, had resigned from the post to join the BJP ahead of polls and contesting the election from West Teachers’ constituency on the party’s ticket emerged victorious by securing 9,266 votes.

His closest rival Basavaraj Gurikar of Congress got 4,597 votes, while Shrishail Gadadinni of JD(S) got just 273 votes.

Horatti, who was elected as MLC successive times from 1980, had recently ended his long association with the JD(S) by joining BJP.

Considered to be among the senior-most MLCs, the 76-year-old is seen as a prominent Lingayat face from north Karnataka. He had been education minister in the state, and was elected as the Chairman of the Legislative Council in February 2021.

In the North-West Teachers’ constituency, Arun Shahpur of BJP, who was seeking re-election was defeated by Congress’ Prakash Hukkeri. Both of them have secured 6,405 and 11,460 votes respectively, while Chandrashekhar Esappa Loni of JD(S) secured 544 votes.

Counting of votes is underway for South Graduates’ and North-West Graduates constituencies.

In the South Graduates’ constituency, Congress’ Madhu G Madegowda was leading against former MLC M V Ravishankar of the BJP and H K Ramu of JD(S). According to sources, Madegowda is leading with a low margin.

The N-W Graduates’ seat witnessed a direct fight between BJP and Congress, with JD(S) not in the fray.

BJP’s Nirani Hanamant Rudrappa, who is seeking re-election, is leading against Congress’ Sunil Annappa Sank.

If the BJP and Congress manage to win one seat each where the counting is on, the 75-member Legislative Council will have 39 BJP members, 27 Congress and eight JD(S), and one Independent member.