Karnataka BJP demands Rahul Gandhi apology after Sringeri recount result
Synopsis
After the Karnataka High Court-ordered recount of postal ballots in Sringeri handed victory to BJP's D.N. Jeevaraj over sitting Congress MLA T.D. Rajegowda, Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra went on the offensive — demanding apologies from Rahul Gandhi, CM Siddaramaiah, and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, and accusing the Congress of stalling Jeevaraj's swearing-in.
Key Takeaways
Karnataka BJP President B.Y.
Vijayendra demanded Rahul Gandhi apologise over vote rigging allegations following the Sringeri recount result.
Jeevaraj was declared winner by the Election Commission of India after a Karnataka High Court -ordered recount of postal ballots from the 2023 elections .
A BJP delegation met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Tuesday , complaining that Speaker U.T.
Khader was delaying Jeevaraj's oath, and urged the Governor to administer it himself.
Vijayendra also demanded apologies from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K.
Shivakumar to the people of Karnataka.
BJP vowed to overcome the bypoll setback and return to power in Karnataka under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah .
Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra on Wednesday demanded that Congress MP and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, apologise to the people of the country over his allegations of vote rigging, following the outcome of the Sringeri Assembly constituency recount. Vijayendra made the demand while addressing the media in Chitradurga city.
Background: The Sringeri Recount
The process of reverification and recounting of postal ballots in the Sringeri Assembly constituency from the 2023 elections was conducted last week on the orders of the Karnataka High Court. Following the recount, BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj was declared the winner by the Election Commission of India (ECI), defeating sitting Congress MLA T.D. Rajegowda. The result has since triggered a sharp political confrontation between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP in Karnataka.
BJP Escalates Pressure on Congress Leadership
Vijayendra said that in light of the recount outcome, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi owed an apology to the nation, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar owed an apology to the people of Karnataka. He accused the Congress of undermining democracy and called for the immediate swearing-in of Jeevaraj. He further alleged that the defeated candidate Rajegowda was fabricating claims in order to gain time to approach the High Court.
The Sringeri recount row had escalated on Tuesday when a Karnataka BJP delegation met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and submitted a formal complaint against Speaker U.T. Khader for allegedly delaying the administration of the oath to Jeevaraj. The BJP leaders urged the Governor to administer the oath himself.
BJP Hits Out at Congress Over Constitutional Values
Vijayendra also criticised the Congress for what he termed as hypocrisy, stating that while the party speaks highly of Dr B.R. Ambedkar and the Constitution, its actions reflect disrespect towards constitutional values. He questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying that if the government had confidence in its guarantee schemes, there was no need for the Chief Minister to camp in Bagalkot for 15 days during the bypolls.
BJP Vows to Bounce Back After Bypoll Defeat
On the recent bypoll defeat, Vijayendra said the BJP would not be demoralised. He expressed confidence in the party's leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that with leaders like Union Home Minister Amit Shah and national president Nitin Nabin, the party would continue to remain strong. While acknowledging that welfare schemes for the poor are necessary, he cited schemes implemented during the tenure of former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, including Bhagyalaxmi and Sandhya Suraksha, as precedents. He further alleged that the Congress was misusing welfare schemes for electoral gains, claiming that funds were released only ahead of the bypolls and that future instalments may coincide with upcoming local body elections.
Vijayendra asserted that the BJP would overcome the bypoll setback, strengthen its organisation, and return to power in Karnataka with the support of its leaders and workers.
Point of View
Siddaramaiah, and Shivakumar in the same breath, Vijayendra is attempting to conflate a procedural electoral outcome with the Congress's broader credibility on democratic norms. The more revealing tension, however, lies in the swearing-in standoff: the Speaker's alleged delay and the BJP's appeal to the Governor signals that the battle over Sringeri's seat is far from over, and could yet land back before the High Court. For a state Congress government already navigating the Lokayukta and guarantee-scheme scrutiny, the timing is uncomfortable.
NationPress
10 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Sringeri recount and what was its outcome?
The Sringeri recount was a reverification and recounting of postal ballots from the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, conducted on the orders of the Karnataka High Court. BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj was subsequently declared the winner by the Election Commission, defeating sitting Congress MLA T.D. Rajegowda.
Why is Karnataka BJP demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi?
Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra stated that Rahul Gandhi had made allegations of vote rigging in connection with the Sringeri constituency, and that the recount result — which handed victory to the BJP — vindicates the party and warrants a public apology from Gandhi to the nation.
Why has the BJP complained to the Karnataka Governor?
A BJP delegation met Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Tuesday, alleging that Speaker U.T. Khader was deliberately delaying the administration of the oath to newly declared winner D.N. Jeevaraj. The BJP urged the Governor to administer the oath himself to ensure Jeevaraj takes his seat without further delay.
What is the Congress's position in the Sringeri dispute?
According to BJP's Vijayendra, defeated candidate T.D. Rajegowda is reportedly fabricating claims to gain time to approach the Karnataka High Court. The Congress government has not, per the available statements, publicly detailed its position on the oath delay.
How does the Sringeri outcome fit into Karnataka's broader political picture?
The Sringeri result comes amid BJP bypoll defeats elsewhere in Karnataka, making it a symbolic win for the opposition party. Vijayendra has used the occasion to question the Congress government's governance record, allege misuse of welfare schemes ahead of local body elections, and reaffirm the BJP's organisational resolve under PM Narendra Modi's leadership.
