In June this year, the BJP and its NDA ally JD(S) in Karnataka were in for a shock when alleged cross-voting by several of their MLAs helped the ruling Congress win five of the seven seats in the then Legislative Council (MLC) elections while the BJP got only two.

Four months later, the NDA has now turned the tables on the Congress, sweeping all the four graduate and teacher seats, for which the elections were held on October 23, with the BJP bagging three seats and the JD(S) winning one seat.

While this outcome will not have an impact on the Congress’s majority in the 75-member Upper House, where the party has 38 members, it has boosted the Opposition coalition, which is likely to step up its pressure on the D K Shivakumar-led government in the coming days.

The MLC poll results showed the BJP retaining its three seats – North East Teachers, West Graduates, and South East Graduates – with the JD(S) wresting the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency from the Congress.

JD(S) candidate A P Ranganath, who was in…