Elections to Legislative Council from graduates and teachers’ constituencies today

The crucial biennial elections to six seats in Legislative Council from Teachers and Graduates’ constituencies — the results of which is keenly watched — will get under way on Monday.

The crucial biennial elections to six seats in Legislative Council from Teachers and Graduates’ constituencies — the results of which is keenly watched — will get under way on Monday.

As many as 78 contestants, including a woman, are in the fray across six constituencies.

The elections are being held in Karnataka East Graduates’, Bangalore Graduates’, Karnataka South East Teachers’, Karnataka South West Teachers’, Karnataka South West Graduates’, and Karnataka South Teachers’ constituencies.

The combined electors in the three graduates’ constituencies are 3,63,573 and in three teachers’ constituencies 70,260.

This will be the second major elections after the Lok Sabha polls that the BJP-Janata Dal (S) combine will be fighting against the ruling Congress. While the BJP is contesting four seats, the JD (S) has fielded its candidates in two.

In the 75-member Upper House, the Congress that does not have majority, is looking to improve on the number in this election, which would help it to wrest the majority from the NDA.

The shift in number will not only help the Congress in the easy passage of Bills, but will also have an impact on the future of Chairman of the House Basavaraj Horatti and Deputy Chairman M.K. Pranesh, both of whom belong to the BJP.