Today, elections to the Legislative Council will be held from the graduates and teachers constituencies.

The crucial biennial elections to elect six Legislative Council members from teacher and graduate constituencies began on Monday, with the results keen to see.

As many as 78 candidates, including women, are contesting in six constituencies.

Elections are being held in the Karnataka East Graduates Constituency, Bengaluru Graduates Constituency, South East Karnataka Teachers Constituency, South West Karnataka Teachers Constituency, South West Karnataka Graduates Constituency and South Karnataka Teachers Constituency.

The total number of voters in the three graduates constituencies is 363,573, and the total number of voters in the three teachers constituencies is 70,260.

This will be the second major election after the Lok Sabha elections in which the BJP-Janata Dal (S) alliance will take on the ruling Indian National Congress party. The BJP is contesting four seats, while the Janata Dal (S) has fielded candidates in two.

The Congress, which does not have a majority in the 75-seat Senate, is aiming to increase its number of seats in this election and wrest a majority from the NDA.

This change in numbers will not only help the Assembly pass bills with ease but will also have an impact on the future of House Speaker Basavaraj Horati and Deputy Speaker MK Pranesh, who belong to the BJP.

The Indian National Congress party, which has 29 members in the upper house, hopes to perform well here and secure a majority with the seven seats it is likely to win from the Legislative Assembly in subsequent elections.

The BJP is struggling in the South West Graduate constituency with K. Raghupati Bhat, a former MP from Udupi who has now been expelled from the party, standing as an independent.

The Indian National Congress has fielded veteran politician and former MP Ayanur Manjunath, who was earlier associated with the BJP and JD(S), from this seat.

In Bengaluru Graduates constituency, BJP’s A Deve Gowda is seeking re-election, while in South Teachers constituency, four-term JD(S) MLC and now MP Maritibbe Gowda is seeking re-election.

JD(S)’s SL Bhoje Gowda is seeking re-election from the South-West Teachers’ Constituency while BJP’s YA Narayanswami is seeking another term from the South-East Teachers’ Constituency.

Meanwhile, the ruling Indian National Congress’ parliamentary meeting met in Bengaluru on Sunday night to consider a range of issues, including preparations for local body elections.