Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 28 (ANI): Following the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) clean sweep in the elections for four Karnataka Legislative Council seats, Leader of the Opposition in the Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy took a sharp swipe at the Congress party, asserting that electoral outcomes depend on public trust rather than voting methods.
Speaking to ANI in Bengaluru on the poll results, Narayanaswamy dismissed the recurring allegations raised by the Congress concerning voting procedures, stating that the public mandate reflects people's unwavering faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA.
"The issue is not with the EVM or with the ballot paper. The total issue lies with the attitude of the party, the influence of a candidate, and the belief of the people. All these things matter. But for everything, Congress is accusing others—' vote chori, vote chori' (vote theft)," Narayanaswamy said.
Emphasising that voters have rejected the Opposition's narratives, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader added, "The people of India and Karnataka have now shown it. EVM or ballot paper makes no difference. 'We are with the NDA, we are with PM Modi, we are with the BJP'—that is the clear stand taken by the people of India and Karnataka."
The sweeping victory across all four seats in the upper house marks a major boost for the BJP–Janata Dal (Secular) alliance in the state, while handing a significant political setback to the ruling Congress.
Earlier, the Karnataka BJP on Wednesday took a direct swipe at Chief Minister DK Shivakumar with the remark "DK, it’s done, bro!" as the NDA, comprising the BJP and JD (S), achieved a historic 4-0 clean sweep in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections for two Graduates' and two Teachers' constituencies.
The phrasing mirrors Bollywood actor Salman Khan famously posted "Sonam, it's done, bro" during youth and student protests involving the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which subsequently spawned widespread social media satire and political memes across digital platforms.
Taking a page from the viral internet trend, the BJP leveraged the phrase to mock the ruling Congress party following its total defeat across all four council seats.
In a post on X, the BJP posted, “DK, it’s done, bro! NDA SWEEPS 4/4 Teachers’ and Graduates’ constituencies in the MLC elections!”
The elections spanned 19 districts, representing nearly two-thirds of Karnataka, including the home districts of former CM Siddaramaiah and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. Winning both Graduates' and Teachers' seats provides the BJP-JD(S) alliance a strong narrative that educated professionals, teachers, and young graduates are backing the NDA over the ruling DK Shivakumar administration.
NDA leaders have framed this unified electoral triumph as a decisive stepping stone and a precursor "trailer" for the upcoming 2028 Karnataka Assembly Elections.
JD(S) state youth president Nikhil Kumar also termed the outcome a “historic 4/4 clean sweep” across two Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies. Alleging that the Congress government had misused state machinery and power, Kumar wrote, “A historic 4/4 clean sweep for the NDA in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections (2 Graduate & 2 Teachers' constituencies)!”
Kumar described the result as a mandate delivered through ballot papers, without any debate over electronic voting machines (EVMs), and said it reflected the ground reality. He also called the NDA’s united contest a trailer for the 2028 Assembly elections.
“Despite the Congress government misusing state machinery and power, the educated fraternity has rejected their misrule. Spanning 19 districts (nearly 2/3rd of Karnataka), including the home districts of the CM & AICC President Sri @kharge Ji, this ballot paper mandate, free of any EVM debate, reflects the true ground reality!”, he wrote further.
“This unified fight by the NDA is a clear trailer for what lies ahead in the 2028 Assembly Elections. A huge thank you to the voters, and my heartiest congratulations to the dynamic leaders and hardworking cadres of both @JanataDal_S and @BJP4Karnataka for this towering victory!” he wrote further. (ANI)
"People stand with PM Modi, NDA": Karnataka LoP dismisses Congress' "vote chori" narrative after Council clean sweep
