The much-anticipated results of the polls to 25 seats of Legislative Council from 20 Local Authorities constituencies will be announced on Tuesday.
The biennial election results could propel the ruling BJP to majority in the Upper House for the first time and also bring in new members. However, the recomposition of the House will not have any bearing on the ongoing Assembly session as the tenure of new members will kick in only after January 5.
The BJP and Congress are contesting in 20 seats each, and JD(S) is contesting in six seats in the South Karnataka region. The polls were held on December 10. Of the 25 members retiring on January 5, 2022, 14 are from Congress, six from BJP, four from JD(S), besides an Independent.
The BJP, which currently has 32 seats in the 75-member House, is hoping to wrest a majority that will help it pilot legislations independently without depending on the JS(S) that currently has 13 members (including the Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti). The BJP has to win 13 seats of the 25 that have gone for elections to gain a majority in the Upper House, and BJP sources said that the party was hoping to win at least 15.
Among the prominent members of the House seeking re-election include Social Welfare Minister Kota Srinivasa Poojary, Deputy Chairman M.K. Pranesh, JD(S) Chief Whip Appaji Gowda, and BJP Chief Whip Mahantesh Kavathagimath.
Curiously, being watched in political circle is the result for two seats from Belagavi Local Authorities constituency where Lakhan Jarkiholi from the politically influential Jarkiholi clan is in the fray as an Independent, pitted against Mr. Kavathagimath and Congress candidate Chennaraj Hattiholi, brother of Congress legislator Lakshmi Hebbalkar.
Last session
For senior leaders, including Leader of Opposition S.R. Patil, Congress Chief Whip M. Narayanaswamy and former Chairman Prathapchandra Shetty, the Belagavi Winter session that got underway on Monday is the last session as they are set to retire on January 5. While Mr. Shetty and Mr. Narayanaswamy had refused to contest the polls, Mr. Patil was denied ticket by the Congress from Vijayapura-Bagalkot duel constituency where it decided to field only Sunil Gouda Patil, brother of former Water Resources Minister M.B. Patil.
