K'taka MLC polls: BJP's Suresh Kumar calls out resort culture in elections
Synopsis
As Karnataka MLC polling was underway, BJP's Suresh Kumar turned the spotlight away from the ballot and onto the resort — calling out a bipartisan culture of herding legislators into hotels as a symptom of broken trust. His warning that voters may one day be 'hoarded' too was the sharpest line of the day.
Key Takeaways
Suresh Kumar called on all parties to end 'resort culture' during the Karnataka MLC election on 18 June 2025 .
Congress moved its MLAs to a resort in Bidadi amid fears of cross-voting, conducting training and mock voting exercises.
Suresh Kumar expressed confidence that BJP's two candidates and the JD(S) NDA candidate would win their seats.
Bharath Shetty alleged multiple factions within Congress — Siddaramaiah , D.K.
Shivakumar , and Mallikarjun Kharge camps.
Suresh Kumar warned that parties may eventually 'hoard' voters at resorts before general elections if the practice is not checked.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader S. Suresh Kumar on Thursday, 18 June called on all political parties to abandon the practice of housing legislators in resorts during elections, warning that such moves send 'a very wrong message to voters.' His remarks came as polling for seven Karnataka Legislative Council (MLC) seats was underway in Bengaluru.
The Resort Move That Triggered the Reaction
The immediate provocation was the Indian National Congress (Congress) shifting its entire MLA contingent to a resort in Bidadi, reportedly to guard against cross-voting. The party conducted training sessions and mock voting exercises at the venue to ensure votes were cast correctly — a precaution that drew sharp criticism from the opposition.
What Suresh Kumar Said
'Cutting across party lines, I am seriously concerned about the practice of keeping MLAs in resorts. This culture should come to an end,' Suresh Kumar said. 'All political parties should have trust in their MLAs. Having no trust and thinking that our MLAs are purchasable or can be hijacked sends a very wrong message to the voters in the country,' he added.
He also issued a pointed warning about the trajectory of such practices: 'In the coming days, they may start hoarding the voters also to resorts before the general elections.' He called on every party to collectively decide to end what he termed 'resort culture.'
BJP's Confidence on the Outcome
Suresh Kumar expressed confidence that the BJP's two candidates would win seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council — the Upper House of the state assembly. He added that the third National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from the Janata Dal (Secular) would also prevail.
Internal Congress Fissures, BJP Alleges
BJP leader Y. Bharath Shetty echoed the criticism, alleging that the Congress's resort move reflected deeper internal divisions. 'The Congress has resorted to resort politics. It appears that there are several factions within the Congress itself,' he said.
Shetty identified what he described as three distinct camps — the Siddaramaiah faction, the D.K. Shivakumar faction, and, according to some accounts, a Mallikarjun Kharge faction. 'There is a possibility of some cross-voting as well. There is dissent within the Congress itself,' he added.
Suresh Kumar also argued that Congress's anxiety over MLA loyalty stemmed from 'the shift in power dynamics, the delay in cabinet expansion, and the exclusion of several important leaders,' suggesting the party had genuine internal concerns it was attempting to manage through the resort arrangement.
What Comes Next
The results of the seven MLC seats will test whether the Congress's precautionary measures held, and whether the BJP-JD(S) alliance secured the seats it projected. The outcome is also likely to influence the political temperature within the ruling Congress, given the public airing of factional tensions.
Point of View
Shivakumar, Kharge — are already visible at an MLC election, the tremors ahead of a cabinet reshuffle or future leadership contest could be considerably larger.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the resort culture controversy in the Karnataka MLC election?
During the 18 June Karnataka MLC polls, Congress shifted its MLAs to a resort in Bidadi to prevent cross-voting, drawing criticism from BJP leader Suresh Kumar who called the practice a sign of distrust in elected legislators and urged all parties to end it.
Why did Congress move its MLAs to a resort in Bidadi?
Congress reportedly moved its MLAs to the Bidadi resort amid fears of cross-voting during the seven-seat Karnataka Legislative Council election. The party conducted training sessions and mock voting exercises there to ensure votes were cast correctly.
How many seats were up for election in the Karnataka MLC polls?
Seven seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council were up for election on 18 June 2025. The BJP expressed confidence its two candidates would win, along with the NDA's Janata Dal (Secular) candidate.
What did BJP's Y. Bharath Shetty say about Congress factions?
BJP leader Y. Bharath Shetty alleged that Congress has multiple internal factions — the Siddaramaiah faction, the D.K. Shivakumar faction, and reportedly a Mallikarjun Kharge faction — and suggested these divisions raised the possibility of cross-voting.
What was Suresh Kumar's warning about future elections?
Suresh Kumar warned that if resort culture is not stopped, political parties may begin housing voters — not just MLAs — in resorts ahead of general elections. He called on all parties to collectively decide to end the practice.
