Karnataka Congress backs ballot voting as BJP highlights poor MLC election showing

Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Shivkumar on Monday voiced support for conducting elections through ballot papers, asserting that the voting method is crucial for electoral integrity. Shivkumar's statement came amid ongoing debate over voting mechanisms in the state, with the Congress leader suggesting that the party would review its strategy following the recently concluded MLC elections.

Shivkumar indicated that Congress would return with a fresh action plan after analyzing the mandate it received in the MLC elections. His remarks highlighted the opposition party's concerns about electoral processes and the need for transparent voting procedures.

The BJP quickly responded to Shivkumar's position, with party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi dismissing the Congress claims. Trivedi pointed to Congress's decisive loss in the MLC elections—where the party failed to secure any seats against the BJP's performance—arguing that the voting method was not the determining factor.

"Congress's poor performance has nothing to do with EVMs, voter rolls, or ballot papers," Trivedi said, attributing the result instead to lack of public support for the party. The BJP spokesperson's remarks suggested that electoral outcomes are determined by voter preference rather than by the mechanism of voting itself.