Congress goes into soul-searching mode as NDA sweeps all four MLC seats

Bengaluru: The Congress on Wednesday vowed to review its strategy after suffering a loss of face in the biennial Legislative Council elections, with the BJP-JD(S) combine winning all four seats in a setback for Chief Minister DK Shivakumar barely four months after he took office.

The defeat is being seen as a sign of warning for the ruling party ahead of elections for Bengaluru's five city corporations and panchayats, as well as the 2028 assembly polls. The BJP won three constituencies, while ally JD(S) captured the key Bengaluru Teachers' seat from the Congress despite active campaigning by Shivakumar.

Acknowledging the setback, the CM said the party would study the verdict and take corrective measures. "The people have sent us a message. We will analyse the results and fix the shortcomings," he told reporters in Bengaluru, while dismissing suggestions that the outcome was a precursor to the next assembly election.


The NDA, however, portrayed the result as a strong endorsement of its alliance and the Narendra Modi government's record. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy attributed the victory to effective coordination between the BJP and JD(S), and said the verdict reflected voter dissatisfaction with what he described as unfulfilled promises by the Congress government.

"The result shows voters are looking for delivery, not promises. It also indicates support for the NDA ahead of the 2028 Assembly election," said Kumaraswamy, who is also the JD(S) Karnataka president.

The two Graduates' and two Teachers' constituencies together cover large parts of Karnataka and are often closely watched as indicators of sentiment among educated voters. Political observers said the outcome could be interpreted as a sign of discontent within sections of the teaching and graduate communities, though they cautioned against drawing direct parallels with assembly elections.

In the run-up to the polls, Shivakumar had directed ministers to campaign extensively across districts covered by the constituencies, underscoring the importance attached to the contest by the Congress leadership.

Senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar said the verdict reflected a loss of faith in the Congress government among graduates and teachers across nearly 150 Assembly segments, claiming voters were disappointed with the implementation of the party's promises.