The National Democratic Alliance secured a 4-0 clean sweep in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections across four constituencies, dealing a blow to the ruling Congress. The Bharatiya Janata Party bagged the Northeast Teachers, West Graduates, and Southeast Graduates seats, while its ally Janata Dal (Secular) won the Bengaluru Teachers constituency. With the polling conducted through paper ballots instead of electronic voting machines, the Bharatiya Janata Party mocked the Congress and Rahul Gandhi, asserting that voters continue to back the NDA regardless of whether paper ballots or EVMs are used. The party also targeted Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on social media following the outcome. Responding to the results, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge maintained that while the party accepts democratic outcomes and will draw lessons, the defeat does not serve as a mandate on the performance of the state government due to the limited and specialised nature of the electorate comprising teachers and graduates.
