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BJP to Hold Dharmasthala Meeting Amid Karnataka Cross-Voting Row June 21, 2026 BJP to hold Legislature Party meeting in Dharmasthala amid Karnataka cross-voting row Copy Link X WhatsApp Share By Pioneer News Service The Karnataka BJP will hold a legislature party meeting in Dharmasthala as the party intensifies efforts to address the controversy surrounding alleged cross-voting during the recent Legislative Council elections. State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra announced the meeting, saying the party leadership is taking the issue seriously and will discuss the matter with legislators and senior leaders. The move comes after reports suggested that some NDA legislators voted against the alliance's official candidates during the polls. The cross-voting allegations surfaced after the Congress secured a stronger-than-expected performance in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, prompting concerns within the BJP and its ally JD(S). The BJP has already formed a fact-finding committee to investigate the issue and identify those responsible for violating party discipline. Party leaders have indicated that strict action could be taken against members found guilty of cross-voting. Vi…

Congress forms committee to identify councillors who cross-voted in ... Nearly two months after internal rifts within the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress resulted in three cross-votings from the AAP-Congress alliance to help Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Harpreet Kaur Babla win the mayoral seat, the city unit of Congress on Tuesday constituted a fact-finding committee to identify the councillors involved in the cross-voting. Party insiders revealed that AAP has also decided to form a similar committee, with an official announcement expected soon. Chandigarh Pradesh Congress Committee (CPCC) president HS Lucky announced the formation of the fact-finding committee, which will investigate and identify those responsible for the cross-voting. The committee has been tasked with speaking to all concerned individuals and submitting a report based on its findings. The members of the committee include vice-presidents of city’s Congress unit—Jatinder Bhatia and Pawan Sharma—and senior Congress leader NK Nanda. Additionally, Achhe Lal Gaur, general secretary (organization) of CPCC, will coordinate and facilitate the committee meetings. Lucky said, “Though internal investigations were…

polling underway for 7 karnataka mlc seats amid cross-voting fears Polling for seven seats of the Karnataka Legislative Council commenced at the Vidhana Soudha on Thursday amid concerns over possible cross-voting by MLAs. The election to Legislative Council seats has turned into a high-stakes political battle, with the contest emerging as a matter of prestige for both the ruling Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal (Secular) (JD-S) alliance. Senior JD(S) MLA G.T. Deve Gowda, after casting his vote, said he had voted according to his conscience. Gowda, who has maintained some distance from the party leadership in recent months and has long been associated with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, is being viewed as a potential supporter of the Congress candidate. When asked whether Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar had contacted him, Deve Gowda replied, "Everyone contacts everyone. I do not have any negative feelings about anything that has happened." Asked whether the JD(S) candidate would win, he initially declined to respond. On being pressed further, he said, "How can anyone know who will win? Everyone will cast their votes according to their conscien…

Karnataka MLC Election: Will Congress Or BJP-JD(S) Alliance ... - Oneindia Karnataka MLC Election: Will Congress Or BJP-JD(S) Alliance Claim The Decisive Seventh MLC Seat? Bengaluru -Madhuri Adnal By Madhuri Adnal Updated: Thursday, June 18, 2026, 12:51 [IST] Add as a preferred source on Google Voting was underway at Vidhana Soudha on June 18 for seven Karnataka Legislative Council seats, in an election shaped largely by Assembly arithmetic but watched closely for the contest over the final seat. MLAs are voting by secret ballot between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm. The biennial election has been caused by the retirement of seven members whose terms end on June 30. The outgoing MLCs are Govinda Raju, Naseer Ahmed, N Nagaraju, also known as MTB Nagaraju, Prathap Simha Nayak K, Tippannappa, Sunil Vallyapur and B K Hariprasad. AI Summary AI-generated summary, reviewed by editors Voting occurred on June 18 for seven Karnataka Legislative Council seats, with results expected to favour Congress and BJP, but the final seat contest between Congress and the BJP-backed JD(S) drew significant attention. Switch To Shorts Karnataka MLC election: Numbers favour Congre…

Karnataka BJP plans temple swear test for MLAs to expose cross-voting ... Bengaluru:The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided to take its internal investigation into alleged cross-voting in Karnataka by its MLAs to the temple town of Dharmasthala. The party says it will use a special legislature party meeting there to find out whether some of its own MLAs voted against party candidates during the recent Legislative Council elections. Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra said on Sunday (June 21) that the meeting could include a process where MLAs take a vow in front of Lord Manjunatha and state whether they were involved in cross-voting. He said that the plan is part of an effort to bring clarity to a matter that has created internal unease within the party. He said legislators may be asked to give a “pramana” in front of the deity and clarify whether they voted against the party’s official candidates. “We all believe in God. Everyone will have to come to the holy city of Dharmasthala, where the legislature party meeting should be held. There, the truth will come out and the matter should be settled there,” he said while speaking to reporters. Located on the banks of the Net…

BJP summons Karnataka leaders to Delhi over MLC cross-voting row; forms ... BJP summons Karnataka leaders to Delhi over MLC cross-voting row; forms probe panel, 11 NDA MLAs under scanner The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership has expressed strong displeasure over cross-voting by its MLAs in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, with Karnataka State President BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, and State In-charge Radhamohan Das Agarwal summoned to Delhi on June 23, sources said on Friday. ANI | Updated: 19-06-2026 16:40 IST | Created: 19-06-2026 16:40 IST Karnataka State President BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka (File Photo/ANI). Image Credit: ANI Country: India SHARE The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership has expressed strong displeasure over cross-voting by its MLAs in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, with Karnataka State President BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, and State In-charge Radhamohan Das Agarwal summoned to Delhi on June 23, sources said on Friday. According to sources, at least 11 NDA MLAs in Karnataka indulged in cross-voting during the MLC polls, a development that has left the party's…

Karnataka Legislative Council election: all 222 MLAs vote, focus on ... Voting for seven seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council concluded after all 222 MLAs cast their ballots, poll officials said. Members of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly voted at Vidhana Soudha, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm, according to the returning officer. The election is largely seen as straightforward for most seats, with the Congress expected to win four and the BJP two based on their strength in the Assembly. The main contest is for the seventh seat, with both the Congress and the JD(S) fielding candidates despite not having enough numbers to win on their own. The candidates in the fray are Congress nominees Thippannappa Kamknoor, PV Mohan, BK Hariprasad, Shivanna BS and Vinay Karthik Prakash; BJP candidates Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R; and JD(S) leader Govindaraju. The polls were held because the terms of seven MLCs are ending with their retirement on June 30. They are Congress leaders Naseer Ahmed, Tippannappa and BK Hariprasad; BJP leaders N Nagaraju (MTB), Prathap Simha Nayak K and Sunil Vallyapur; and JD(S) leader Govindaraju. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, former chief ministe…

'Those who betrayed party will be caught': LoP R Ashoka as BJP-JD (S ... BENGALURU: Opposition leader in the Assembly, R Ashoka, on Thursday said those who indulged in cross-voting during the Legislative Council elections and “betrayed” the BJP will be identified. Congress won five of the seven seats in the MLC polls in Karnataka, amid a cross-voting from the BJP-JD(S) camp. Speaking to the media after congratulating the winning candidates, Ashoka said three votes were cross-voted, and one vote was declared invalid in the MLC polls. “It will be known who did this. Those who betrayed the party will be caught,” Ashoka said. He expressed happiness over the victory of BJP candidates Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Koutlya. “We will examine who cross-voted and why they did it. We will discuss this on the party platform,” he added. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 64 MLAs, secured only 56 votes for its two candidates combined. Lingaraj Patil polled 27 votes while Raghu K received 29 votes. Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the Congress received a “very big mandate” from legislators across party lines, after the party won five of the seven seats. “Today, the election was not expected…

Congress can win 5, BJP 2 in seven MLC seats; can JDS keep its flock ... BENGALURU: The stage is set for biennial elections toseven MLC seats from the Karnataka Assemblyon Thursday with eight candidates – five from the ruling Congress, two from BJP and one from JDS – being in the fray. KPCC president BK Hariprasad is among the five Congress candidates. The polls will be a big test for Chief MinisterDK Shivakumar, as these are his maiden polls after being elevated to the top post. He has fielded his close associate Vinay Karthik as the fifth candidate from the party. Each candidate needs 28 votes from as many MLAs and in the 222-member House, Congress has 135 MLAs, BJP 63 – including Gangavathi MLA Gali Janardhan Reddy who merged his party with BJP – and JDS 18. Apart from them, there are three independents – Darshan Puttannaiah, Puttaswamy Gowda and Latha Mallikarjun – and three MLAs expelled from BJP – ST Somashekar, Shivaram Hebbar and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. Congress can win four seats comfortably and expect to win the fifth too with the support of three independents and the votes of Somashekar and Shivaram Hebbar, who met Shivakumar at a resort in Bidadi where Congress…

Cross-voting in Karnataka MLC polls: BJP summons Vijayendra, Ashoka The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership has expressed strong displeasure over cross-voting by its MLAs in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, with Karnataka State President BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka, and State In-charge Radhamohan Das Agarwal summoned to Delhi on June 23, sources said on Friday. According to sources, at least 11 NDA MLAs in Karnataka indulged in cross-voting during the MLC polls, a development that has left the party's top leadership upset. Meanwhile, the BJP Karnataka unit has constituted a three-member committee to investigate cross-voting by its MLAs in the Legislative Council elections held on June 18. According to a press release issued from the BJP state headquarters, Bengaluru, BJP state president BY Vijayendra said it had come to light that some MLAs had cross-voted, defeating the party's official candidates. "To ascertain the truth and reality behind this setback, a committee comprising the following key leaders has been formed," the release stated. The committee has been asked to submit a comprehensive report on the matter by June 25, 2026. Comm…

Congress dominates Karnataka Legislative Council polls, wins 5 of 7 ... The Congress emerged as the clear winner in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, securing five of the seven seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the remaining two seats after the counting of votes concluded on Thursday. The Congress candidates BK Hariprasad, Thippannappa Kamakanur, PV Mohan, Shivanna BS (Malavalli), and Vinay Karthik Prakash emerged victorious. The BJP's Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R also won their respective contests, while JD(S) candidate Govindaraju suffered defeat. Following its victory in the Legislative Council elections, the Congress strengthened its position in the 75-member Upper House, increasing its tally to 39 seats. The BJP holds 29 seats, while the JD(S) has six members. The House also includes one Independent member. The Janata Dal (Secular) suffered a setback in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, with its candidate Govindaraju losing the contest for the seventh seat as the ruling Congress secured a fifth victory.The The JDS candidate received only 14 first preference votes, indicating that four of the 18 JDS MLAs cross-voted in favor of the Congre…

Karnataka MLC polls: How cross-voting in BJP, JD (S) helped Congress ... The Karnataka Legislative Council elections have given the Congress reason to celebrate while leaving the BJP and JD(S) with uncomfortable questions. Congress won five of the eight seats, but the bigger story is the allegation of cross-voting by opposition legislators. The results suggest that several BJP and JD(S) MLAs may have voted in favour of Congress candidates. To secure victory for its five candidates, Congress needed 140 first-preference votes. However, when the votes were counted, the party's candidates had received a total of 151 first-preference votes. The unexpected surplus of 11 votes has fuelled speculation that legislators from the BJP and JD(S) crossed party lines during the election. Since the voting was conducted through a secret ballot, it may take time for both parties to determine who voted against the official party line. Within the BJP, leaders believe that apart from expelled MLAs ST Somashekhar and Shivaram Hebbar, a few more legislators may have supported Congress candidates. Meanwhile, there is disagreement within the JD(S) over the scale of cross-voting. While some BJP leaders…

'Cross-voting' hits NDA: How 12 votes changed Karnataka MLC election battle Karnataka Congress secured a significant victory in the Legislative Council elections, winning five out of seven seats. Allegations of cross-voting from BJP and JD(S) ranks bolstered Congress's numbers beyond expectations. This win provides a crucial boost for Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's government, highlighting support for its welfare initiatives.

Karnataka MLC polls: State BJP chief Vijayendra bats for ... - Dailyhunt B engaluru: The row in the BJP over some of its MLAs cross-voting for the Congress in the recent Legislative Council poll has a taken a fresh turn, with the saffron outfit's state president B Y Vijayendra on Sunday proposing a legislature party meeting in the temple town of Dharmasthala to "decide the truth". Advertisement He said he would discuss the matter with the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka. A day after cross-voting, former minister writes to B Y Vijayendra; seeks action against 'anti-party' elements "Workers are upset with the behaviour of our MLAs. All 63 BJP MLAs are being suspected… I have decided today, I will speak to LoP R Ashoka too. Very soon, if possible, in the coming week only, we will call our LP meeting in Dharmasthala… However big we may be, all of us believe in God. The truth has to be decided in Dharmasthala," Vijayendra told reporters. Vijayendra also noted that he and Ashoka would go to Delhi to meet BJP national president Nitin Nabin and explain the political developments in the state. However, Vijayendra's proposal for the LP meeting in Dharmasthala …

Karnataka MLC polls highlights: BJP, JD(S) MLAs' cross-voting helps ... Karnataka MLC polls highlights: BJP, JD(S) MLAs' cross-voting helps Congress secure unexpected fifth seat By Shivya Kanojia , Shubham Pandey Updated on: Jun 18, 2026 9:26:30 PM IST Karnataka MLC Election highlights: Cross-voting by three BJP and 7 JD(S) MLAs helped the Congress win an unexpected fifth seat in Karnataka Legislative Council polls. Congress secured five of seven seats, gaining a majority in the 75-member Upper House, while the BJP won two and the JD(S) drew a blank. Key Events 3:55 PM IST, June 18 Winners' list 2:52 PM IST, June 18 Congress denies approaching opposition MLAs 2:39 PM IST, June 18 Karnataka MLC polls LIVE updates: BJP says action will be taken against those who cross-voted 2:32 PM IST, June 18 Karnataka MLC polls LIVE updates: List of winners 2:32 PM IST, June 18 Cong wins 5, BJP 2 2:30 PM IST, June 18 Karnataka MLC polls LIVE updates: Cross-voting by BJP, JD(S) MLAs help Congress win unexpected 5th seat 2:23 PM IST, June 18 BJP wins remaining two seats 1:16 PM IST, June 18 Congress secures victory for five candidates; Counting underway 1:02 PM IST, June 18 Congress says it allowed…

Karnataka Election Results Confirm a Trend in Another Harsh Blow to ... Source: Getty The precarious position in which the Congress Party now finds itself belies the tremendous effort that it invested in the recent campaign in Karnataka. Source: Hindustan Times For the last several months, Karnataka has continually confounded pundits who have struggled to discern the elusive election ‘hawa’. The counting of votes has done little to clarify the picture. Although the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ended up with the single largest clutch of seats, it fell short of an outright majority. In an unexpected twist, the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), with a majority of seats between them, have joined hands in attempt to keep the BJP out of power. Now all eyes fall on Raj Bhavan to decide which side will be invited to prove its majority on the floor of the assembly. Regardless of how political machinations play out, the election offers several takeaways. First, while the Congress-JD(S) combine may well have the numbers to prevail, the result substantiates Karnataka’s reputation as a state that is unkind toward incumbents. Since 1983, the state has witnessed regular alternation in p…

Karnataka BJP turns to Lord Manjunatha to uncover truth in cross-voting row Karnataka BJP is investigating alleged cross-voting by its MLAs in the recent Legislative Council polls, which saw the ruling Congress secure a significant victory. Party president B Y Vijayendra announced a legislature party meeting at Dharmasthala, where MLAs might take an oath before Lord Manjunatha to reveal the truth. He termed the alleged betrayal a serious matter that will be pursued to its conclusion, aiming to restore party worker confidence.

Karnataka MLC Polls: Congress wins 5 of 7 seats, JD(S) suffers setback ... Representational Image Bengaluru:The Congress registered a decisive victory in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections on Thursday, winning five of the seven seats that went to polls and further strengthening its position in the state's Upper House. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured the remaining two seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) failed to win any seat despite support from its alliance partner BJP. The victorious Congress candidates were B.K. Hariprasad, Thippannappa Kamakanur, P.V. Mohan, Shivanna B.S. (Malavalli), and Vinay Karthik Prakash. From the BJP, Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R emerged victorious. Following the results, Congress increased its tally in the 75-member Legislative Council to 39 seats. The BJP now holds 29 seats, while the JD(S) has six members. The House also includes one Independent member. The biggest setback of the election was for the JD(S), whose candidate Govindaraju failed to secure a seat despite expectations of support from alliance partner BJP. According to the vote count, Govindaraju received only 14 first-preference votes, even though the JD(S) has 18 …

"Those who betrayed party will be caught," says Karnataka LoP R Ashoka ... Congress won five of the seven seats in the MLC polls in Karnataka, amid a cross-voting from the BJP-JD(S) camp. Speaking to the media after congratulating the winning candidates, Ashoka said three votes were cross-voted, and one vote was declared invalid in the MLC polls. "It will be known who did this. Those who betrayed the party will be caught," Ashoka said. He expressed happiness over the victory of BJP candidates Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Koutlya. "We will examine who cross-voted and why they did it. We will discuss this on the party platform," he added. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has 64 MLAs, secured only 56 votes for its two candidates combined. Lingaraj Patil polled 27 votes while Raghu K received 29 votes. Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the Congress received a "very big mandate" from legislators across party lines, after the party won five of the seven seats. "Today, the election was not expected. I thought that there would be no elections. But the JDS and BJP wanted to fight the elections," Shivakumar told reporters after the results. The CM said on Thursday that t…

Karnataka MLC Polls: BJP Faces Internal Rift Amid Cross-Voting Row ... By Kamakshi Bishnoi Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:54 PM (IST) Source: JND Related Articles The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) central leadership has taken serious note of the reported cross-voting during the Karnataka Legislative Council elections and has initiated a strict response. Party national president Nitin Nabin has expressed strong displeasure over the development and summoned senior Karnataka BJP leaders to Delhi for a detailed review. According to PTI, BJP state president BY Vijayendra, Leader of Opposition R Ashok, and state in-charge Radhamohan Das Koko have been directed to appear in Delhi on June 23. The leadership will seek explanations and hold discussions over the alleged cross-voting within the party ranks. ALSO READ: Durga Saptashati Foundation To Organise Grand Yoga Festival On International Yoga Day In Dwarka BJP-JD(S) Face Setback in Council Elections This was the first election in Karnataka since the new government led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took office. In Thursday's elections for seven Legislative Council seats, the ruling Congress performed resoundingly, winning five, while the oppositio…

Karnataka MLC Poll Results: Congress Wins 5 Seats, BJP Bags 2 The ruling Congress secured a convincing victory in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections on Thursday, winning five of the seven seats contested in the first electoral test since the DK Shivakumar-led government assumed office. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won the remaining two seats, while the Janata Dal (Secular) failed to secure representation. The outcome has also sparked speculation about cross-voting, with reports suggesting that some BJP and JD(S) legislators may have supported Congress candidates, enabling the party to secure a higher vote tally than anticipated. Voting for the seven Legislative Council seats elected by MLAs was held at the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru. Eight candidates were in the fray for the vacancies created by the impending retirement of seven sitting members on June 30. Congress candidates Thippannappa Kamknoor, PV Mohan, BK Hariprasad, Shivanna BS and Vinay Karthik Prakash emerged victorious. The BJP's Lingaraj Patil and Raghu R also secured seats in the Upper House. The result marks a significant win for the Congress government, which viewed the election as an early indicator…