Karnataka Council polls: BJP MLA attacked, clashes erupt in Bengaluru and Gadag
Synopsis
A sitting BJP MLA was allegedly attacked by Congress workers at a Bengaluru polling booth, and a separate confrontation over election rule violations erupted in Gadag — all on the day Karnataka voted for four Legislative Council seats. With results due on 27 October, the clashes signal how high the political stakes have become between the ruling Congress and the NDA opposition in Karnataka.
Key Takeaways
BJP MLA Munirathna was allegedly heckled and physically attacked by Congress workers near a polling centre in Nagarbhavi, Bengaluru on 23 October .
Munirathna alleged the attacks were orchestrated by CM D.K.
Shivakumar and former MP D.K.
Suresh ever since D.K.
Suresh lost the Lok Sabha election in Bengaluru Rural .
A separate confrontation erupted in Gadag outside Municipal College over alleged violation of the 100-metre exclusion zone rule at polling booths.
Voting was held for 4 Karnataka Legislative Council seats — two graduates' and two teachers' constituencies — with 43 candidates in the fray.
Results will be announced on 27 October 2026 , making this the first Council election under Congress President B.K.
Tension gripped polling areas in Bengaluru and Gadag on Friday, 23 October 2026, as workers of the Indian National Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party clashed at multiple locations during voting for the Karnataka Legislative Council elections. The incidents — one involving the alleged physical assault of a sitting MLA — cast a shadow over polling for four Council seats across two graduates' and two teachers' constituencies.
BJP MLA Munirathna allegedly attacked in Nagarbhavi
Munirathna, the BJP MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar, was allegedly heckled and physically attacked by Congress workers when he arrived near a polling centre in Nagarbhavi, Bengaluru. According to reports, Congress workers surrounded him, allegedly tore his clothes, and raised derogatory slogans, triggering a confrontation between supporters of both parties. Police personnel intervened to restore order.
Munirathna subsequently levelled serious allegations against the Congress leadership, naming former MP D.K. Suresh and his elder brother, Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. He alleged that Congress workers had been targeting him through 'planned personal and physical attacks' ever since D.K. Suresh lost the Lok Sabha election in Bengaluru Rural. Notably, the rivalry between Munirathna and the D.K. brothers across the Rajarajeshwari Nagar and Bengaluru Rural constituencies has previously resulted in several public confrontations, making Friday's incident part of a longer pattern of hostility.
Heated standoff in Gadag over election rule violations
In Gadag, Congress and BJP workers engaged in a heated exchange outside Municipal College, the venue for the Western Graduates' Constituency election. BJP supporters backing MLA C.C. Patil and Congress workers raising slogans in favour of former minister H.K. Patil came face to face over alleged violations of election regulations.
BJP workers accused the police of allowing Congress workers to enter polling booth premises in breach of the mandatory 100-metre exclusion zone. C.C. Patil directly confronted police officials and demanded the immediate removal of Congress workers from the premises. BJP workers accused the police of failing to enforce election rules uniformly, with some alleging misuse of authority. Police personnel struggled to control workers from both parties before order was eventually restored.
What is at stake: Four Council seats and 43 candidates
Voting was held on Friday for four seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council — the Southeast Graduates', West Graduates', North East Teachers', and Bengaluru Teachers' constituencies. A total of 43 candidates are contesting, with the ruling Congress and the Opposition NDA alliance (BJP-JD(S)) locked in direct competition across all four.
In the Southeast Graduates' seat, Congress' Shashi Hulikunte Mutt is up against BJP's K.M. Suresh (Someshwara). In the West Graduates' seat, Congress' Mohan Limbikai faces BJP's Sankanur S.V.. In the North East Teachers' seat, Congress' Sharanappa Mattur contests against BJP's Shashil G. Namoshi. In the Bengaluru Teachers' seat, Congress' Puttanna takes on A.P. Ranganath of the Janata Dal (Secular).
Significance and what comes next
Friday's election marks the first Council poll conducted under Congress President B.K. Hariprasad, who is also a Member of the Legislative Council. The 75-member Karnataka Legislative Council currently has five vacant seats, making the outcome consequential for the ruling party's Upper House numbers. Results are scheduled to be declared on 27 October. The violence, if substantiated, could draw scrutiny from the Election Commission of India and further inflame an already charged political climate in Karnataka ahead of future electoral battles.
Point of View
A normalisation of political violence that should concern the Election Commission regardless of which party is at fault. The Gadag episode, meanwhile, points to a structural enforcement problem: if the 100-metre restriction cannot be upheld at a relatively low-profile Council election, it raises questions about readiness for larger contests. Karnataka's ruling Congress, fresh from its 2023 Assembly sweep, cannot afford the optics of street violence being laid at its workers' door.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened at the Karnataka Legislative Council elections on 23 October?
Congress and BJP workers clashed near polling booths in Bengaluru and Gadag on 23 October during voting for four Karnataka Legislative Council seats. The most serious incident involved the alleged physical attack on BJP MLA Munirathna by Congress workers near a polling centre in Nagarbhavi, Bengaluru.
Who is Munirathna and why was he allegedly attacked?
Munirathna is the BJP MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru. He alleges that Congress workers, reportedly linked to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and former MP D.K. Suresh, have been targeting him ever since D.K. Suresh lost the Lok Sabha election in Bengaluru Rural — a rivalry that has previously led to multiple public confrontations.
What caused the clash in Gadag?
In Gadag, BJP workers accused the police of allowing Congress workers to enter polling booth premises in violation of the mandatory 100-metre exclusion zone. BJP MLA C.C. Patil directly confronted police officials and demanded the removal of Congress workers from the premises, while Congress workers raised slogans in support of former minister H.K. Patil.
Which seats are being contested in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections?
Four seats are being contested: the Southeast Graduates', West Graduates', North East Teachers', and Bengaluru Teachers' constituencies. A total of 43 candidates are in the fray, with the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) NDA alliance competing directly in all four seats.
When will the Karnataka Legislative Council election results be announced?
Results are scheduled to be declared on 27 October 2026. The elections also mark the first Council poll under newly appointed Karnataka Congress President B.K. Hariprasad, who is himself a Member of the Legislative Council.
