Big Win For CM DK Shivakumar In First Test As Congress Wins 5 Of 7 Karnataka MLC Seats

Published 18 June 2026 · politics

Big Win For CM DK Shivakumar In First Test As Congress Wins 5 Of 7 Karnataka MLC Seats Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026

Big Win For CM DK Shivakumar In First Test As Congress Wins 5 Of 7 Karnataka MLC Seats Published By, Last Updated: June 18, 2026, 20:38 IST Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he had initially expected the seats to be filled unopposed, but the BJP and JD(S) opted for a contest. Rapid Read Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the results reflected overwhelming support for the party and its welfare schemes. (File) In his first electoral test as Karnataka Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar secured a major victory as the Congress won five of the seven Legislative Council seats that went to polls on Thursday. The results were marked by apparent cross-voting by BJP and Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs. While the Congress and three Independents together had 138 votes in the 224-member Assembly, the party’s candidates collectively secured 151 votes, indicating support from legislators outside its camp.

The BJP-led NDA, which had fielded candidates in all seven seats, managed to win two while JD(S) ‘ lone candidate Govindaraju faced a defeat. Cross-Voting Helps Congress Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the results reflected overwhelming support for the party and its welfare schemes. “In the first round of the Legislative Council elections, all five Congress candidates won with a landslide victory. Congress had 135 votes, but secured 151. The BJP fell short by seven votes, while the Janata Dal won 14 votes instead of 18," Surjewala said. He claimed the results showed that legislators across party lines had endorsed the Congress government’s five guarantee schemes, under which around Rs 56,000 crore is transferred annually to beneficiaries. “The BJP and JD(S) wanted to abolish these guarantees, but their own MLAs have expressed confidence in the Congress government’s policies," he said.

‘Legislators Across Party Lines Voted For Us’: Shivakumar Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said he had initially expected the seats to be filled unopposed, but the BJP and JD(S) opted for a contest. “The Congress leadership under Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi finalised candidates who have worked for the party throughout the country. A very big mandate has been given by the legislators. Many MLAs cutting across party lines have voted in favour of the government and its policies," Shivakumar said. “I thank all the legislators who supported us. We stood unitedly, and these results are a reflection of the unity of the Congress party," he added. The outcome strengthens Shivakumar’s position within the party, especially after he took over as the chief minister this month following Siddaramaiah’s resignation. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Saurabh Verma Senior Sub-editor Saurabh Verma covers general, national and international day-to-day news for News18.com as a Chief Sub-editor.