Karnataka Council polls: B.S. Yediyurappa urges CM to step down, seek fresh mandate

Highlighting that teachers and graduates formed the electoral college of these elections, former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa argued that ‘conscientious and sensible’ voters had rejected the Congress government in Karnataka. | Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO Enthused by the clean sweep by the NDA in elections to the Karnataka Legislative Council from the four teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies, BJP veteran B. S. Yediyurappa claimed that the Congress government has lost the moral right to continue in power and urged Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar to seek a fresh mandate.“The NDA candidates have won by a huge margin though we are not in power in Karnataka. What moral right do you have to continue after losing these polls that represent a majority of the areas of the State? If you have any dignity, you need to step down and seek a fresh mandate,” Mr. Yediyurappa told the Chief Minister at a press conference in Bengaluru soon after the declaration of results of polls.He also invited the Chief Minister to a public debate on the people’s verdict.Ridiculing the Congress for doubting the credibility of EVMs, Mr. Yediyurappa pointed out that ballot papers were used in the Council elections.Pointing out that teachers and graduates formed the electoral college of these elections, Mr. Yediyurappa argued that ‘conscientious and sensible’ voters had rejected the Congress government. Hence, the Chief Minister should seek a fresh mandate, he said.The former chief minister maintained that the results of these polls were a pointer to the things to come, and declared that the BJP-JD (S) alliance would win the next Assembly polls with a thumping majority.Mr. Yediyurappa took exception to the Chief Minister’s remarks in front of sugarcane growers that the government did not have adequate resources to implement their demands. “The Chief Minister’s statement amounts to publicly admitting that the government has become financially bankrupt.“Where did the taxpayers’ money go? You have looted public money by indulging in corruption in the last three-and-a-half years. You do not have moral right to continue in power,” Mr. Yediyurappa said. Published - October 28, 2026 02:33 pm IST