2 min readBengaluruMay 3, 2026 05:56 PM ISTKarnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar said BJP candidate N Jeevaraj had conspired with some officers and tampered with the postal votes. (File Photo)A dispute over alleged irregularities in a court-ordered recount of postal ballots in Karnataka’s Sringeri constituency—which flipped the 2023 Assembly results in favour of the BJP by a margin of 52 votes on Sunday—sparked a war of words between the ruling Congress and the BJP.While the Congress alleged a “conspiracy” and “criminal activity” behind the invalidation of votes polled for its candidate, T D Rajegowda, the BJP demanded that the recount results be declared immediately.Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president D K Shivakumar said that BJP candidate and former MLA N Jeevaraj had conspired with some officers and tampered with the postal votes.“More than 200 postal votes were marked using pens,” he said, noting that the same votes without the marks were validated by election agents from both parties during counting after the 2023 Assembly polls.“A conspiracy was hatched to deny votes to our MLA. There was criminal activity to make the votes invalid,” he said, adding that the Congress would explore legal options apart from seeking an investigation into the incident.Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka contended that the Congress Government was piling pressure on election officials not to declare the results.Noting that the recounting was carried out based on a Karnataka High Court order, he said the court clearly stated that whoever received more votes would be declared the winner.Story continues below this ad“Where is Rahul Gandhi, who keeps shouting about ‘vote chori’?” the BJP MLA asked.The postal ballot recount concluded early Sunday morning. During the re-verification process, BJP candidate Jeevaraj narrowly edged past Congress MLA Rajegowda by 52 votes.The recount, ordered by the high court in April 2026, aimed to resolve the Congress MLA’s narrow 201-vote margin in the 2023 elections. However, it has led to allegations of ballot tampering from the Congress camp.The controversy revolves around 255 postal ballots that were originally marked for Rajegowda in 2023 but were declared invalid during the recounting process.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:Karnataka Assembly pollsAdvertisementLoading Recommendations...Advertisement