The Congress party has secured a majority in Karnataka's 75-member Upper House after winning five of the seven seats in the legislative council elections. The party received support from at least 11 legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular), who crossed the party line to vote for the Congress candidates.
The Congress had 134 members in the 224-member House and required the support of at least six additional lawmakers to secure the fifth seat. The party received backing from independent lawmakers and expelled BJP legislators, who also supported Congress candidates.
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala said the result reflected support among legislators for the party's administration. The party's candidates secured a landslide victory in the first round of the elections, with a combined total of 151 votes.
The BJP's Raghu Kautilya won with 29 votes, while Lingaraj Patil secured 27 votes and entered the council after the elimination round. JD(S) candidate Govindraju received 14 votes.
The outcome increased the Congress's strength in the legislative council from 34 to 39 members, giving it control of the 75-member House for the first time. The BJP now has 29 members, the JD(S) six, and there is one independent member.
