The Indian National Congress has taken a decisive step ahead of the crucial elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council, finalizing its candidates for four key constituencies. The party announced on Tuesday that it will field senior leaders in the upcoming polls for the Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies, setting the stage for a direct contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Congress's Chosen Four for the Council Battle
According to a formal statement issued by the party's national general secretary and Congress MP, KC Venugopal, the candidates have been selected. The party will field Mohan Limbikai from the Karnataka West Graduates' Constituency and Shashi Hulikuntemutt from the South-East Graduates' Constituency. For the Teachers' constituencies, Sharanappa Mattur will contest from the North-East Teachers' seat, while senior leader Puttanna will defend the Bangalore Teachers' Constituency for the Congress.
The elections for these four seats in the state's upper house are scheduled for November 2026. This early announcement signals the Congress's intent to prepare its ground campaign well in advance. The BJP, which currently holds three of these four seats, is yet to reveal its list of candidates.
The Stakes: A Fight for Council Supremacy
The political arithmetic of the Karnataka Legislative Council makes these elections highly significant. Currently, the Congress has 37 members in the 75-member council. The BJP and its ally, the Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S), together have 36 members. The remaining seats are held by others or are vacant.
Of the four seats going to polls, the BJP holds three: the South-East Graduates' seat (represented by Chidanand M Gowda), the West Graduates' seat (represented by SV Sankanur), and the North-East Teachers' seat (represented by senior BJP leader Shashil G Namoshi). The Congress holds only the Bangalore Teachers' seat, represented by Puttanna.
A victory in all four constituencies would increase the Congress's tally to 40, providing it with a more comfortable majority and strengthening its position in the House. Conversely, the BJP will aim to retain its stronghold and potentially snatch the Bangalore Teachers' seat to tilt the balance.
Understanding the Constituencies and Their Weight
The four constituencies cover vast and significant regions of Karnataka:
The Karnataka West Graduates' Constituency is a large seat covering the districts of Belagavi, Dharwad, Bagalkot, Vijayapura, Gadag, and Karwar. Its electorate consists solely of graduates from recognized universities residing in these areas.
The Karnataka South-East Graduates' Constituency is more compact, comprising Kolar and Bengaluru Rural districts. Again, only graduates form the voter base here.
The North-East Teachers' Constituency is a major seat spanning seven districts: Ballari, Bidar, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur, Vijayanagar, and Yadgir. The electorate here is composed of teachers from recognized educational institutions in the region.
The Bangalore Teachers' Constituency covers a critical area including Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural districts, the BBMP North, South, and Central zones, and the Ramanagara region. This is the sole seat the Congress currently holds among the four.
The Legislative Council is a permanent body with a six-year term for its members (MLCs). One-third of its members retire every two years. Of its total strength of 75, 64 are elected and 11 are nominated by the Governor. The elected members come from three streams: 25 are elected by local authorities, 25 by the state legislative assembly, and the remaining 14 are elected from these special Graduates' and Teachers' constituencies.
With the candidate list now public, the Congress has fired the first salvo in a battle that will shape the dynamics of Karnataka's bicameral legislature for the coming years. All eyes are now on the BJP's counter-move as the 2026 election cycle slowly comes into focus.
