The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has won all four seats in the Karnataka Legislative Council elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) securing three seats and its ally Janata Dal (Secular), or JD(S), winning one.

The results are a setback for the ruling Congress, which failed to win any of the four seats contested in the elections held on October 23.

The contest was closely watched as a test of coordination between the BJP and JD(S), which fought the elections as alliance partners. The outcome also drew attention to the Congress’s support among voters in teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies.

BJP wins three seats, JD(S) secures one

The BJP won the North-East Teachers’ constituency, the South-East Graduates’ constituency and the West Graduates’ constituency. The JD(S), meanwhile, won the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency.

The Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency contest was particularly significant because the JD(S) candidate, A P Ranganath, defeated sitting Congress MLC Puttanna. Ranganath had previously contested the constituency against Puttanna, who had switched to the Congress before the previous Assembly elections.

The results demonstrated the electoral outcome of the BJP-JD(S) alliance in these four constituencies. However, the results alone do not establish how the outcome will affect the parties’ performance in future state-wide elections.

BJP leader targets Congress government

Reacting to the results, BJP leader Ashok Gowda described the outcome as a success for the NDA and criticised the Congress government in Karnataka.

“This is a success for the NDA and all the narratives spread by the Congress have been exposed,” Gowda told media.

He also alleged that the Congress government had failed in the state and claimed that the results reflected public dissatisfaction with the ruling party.

These remarks were Gowda’s political assessment of the election outcome and should be understood as statements by a BJP leader.

Election tests BJP-JD(S) coordination

The elections were seen as an important test of whether the BJP and JD(S) could coordinate their campaigns and consolidate support behind their respective alliance candidates.

The JD(S) was allocated the Bengaluru Teachers’ constituency, while the BJP contested the other three seats. The alliance’s victory across all four constituencies gave both parties a favourable result in this round of Legislative Council elections.

The Congress, which governs Karnataka, did not win any of the four seats. Nevertheless, the Legislative Council results should be distinguished from a state Assembly election, as the contests involved specific teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies rather than the entire electorate.

Cyclone Arnab made landfall near the Andhra Pradesh coast early Wednesday, October 28, bringing heavy rainfall and powerful winds to coastal areas. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said the landfall process was expected to continue for several hours as the very severe cyclonic storm moved close to the coastline.

The cyclone was located over the west-central Bay of Bengal near the Andhra Pradesh and Yanam coasts, according to the IMD bulletin issued at 6:30 am. It was positioned approximately 30 km east of Narsapur, 45 km south-southwest of Yanam, 70 km south-southwest of Kakinada and 90 km east-northeast of Machilipatnam.

Winds of 115–125 kmph, with gusts reaching 140 kmph, were forecast in the affected region. The IMD also warned of a storm surge of 1 to 1.5 metres above the normal tide, which could inundate low-lying areas of Andhra Pradesh.

More than 1.8 lakh people evacuated

Authorities in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha evacuated more than 1.8 lakh people ahead of the cyclone’s arrival, according to the report.

The storm brought heavy rainfall to several districts in both states. In Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam recorded the highest rainfall, receiving 216 mm between 8:30 am on October 27 and 5:30 am on October 28.

Kalingapatnam recorded 147 mm of rainfall during the period, followed by Kakinada at 118 mm and Machilipatnam at 115 mm.

In Odisha, Ganjam and Balasore were among the districts that experienced heavy rain.

Flights cancelled, power supply disrupted

The cyclone’s impact disrupted transport and essential services in the affected areas. Several airlines cancelled flights to Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada for Wednesday.

Power supplies were disrupted and trees were uprooted in parts of the affected states. Some schools were also closed, while certain train services were cancelled.

No loss of life had been reported in Andhra Pradesh or Odisha at the time of the report.

The IMD forecast that heavy rainfall would continue on Wednesday and Thursday as the cyclone affected coastal areas and neighbouring regions.

Why is the cyclone called Arnab?

The name Arnab was proposed by Bangladesh and is part of the official list of tropical cyclone names adopted in 2020 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific Panel on Tropical Cyclones.

The list includes names submitted by 13 countries: Bangladesh, India, Iran, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Each country contributed 13 names, bringing the total to 169. These names are used sequentially for tropical cyclones developing over the North Indian Ocean, which includes the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea.

The name Arnab is commonly associated with the Bengali word for the ocean or sea. Naming cyclones helps distinguish individual weather systems and reduces confusion when multiple storms occur.

Veteran television producer-director B.P. Singh, best known for creating the popular crime investigation series CID, has died after suffering a heart attack. His death on Tuesday, October 27, prompted tributes from colleagues and members of the entertainment industry, who remembered his contribution to Indian television.

Filmmaker Ashoke Pandit shared the news of Singh’s death in a social media post, remembering him as an accomplished filmmaker whose work had captivated audiences through shows such as CID and Aahat.

Pandit also recalled his association with Singh during the latter’s tenure as president of the Indian Film and Television Directors’ Association. Expressing grief over the loss, he described Singh as a close friend and a person whose work would continue to inspire future generations.

The last rites are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 28, according to Pandit’s post.

BP Singh’s contribution to Indian television

Born Brijendra Pal Singh, B.P. Singh established himself as a prominent figure in Indian television through his work as a producer and director. He created CID, one of the country’s longest-running crime investigation shows, which premiered in 1998 and followed a team of Mumbai crime branch officers investigating cases.

The series became widely recognised among television audiences and ran for around two decades. Singh also occasionally appeared on the show as DCP Shamsher Singh Chitrole.

One of the show’s notable milestones came in October 2004, when a special episode was filmed in a single continuous take lasting 111 minutes. The achievement received recognition in the Limca Book of Records and the Guinness World Records.

Singh’s work was not limited to crime dramas. He was also associated with Aahat, a popular horror television series that aired from 1995 to 2015. His other projects included Khaaki, Abhay and SuperCops Vs Super Villains.

Ashoke Pandit remembers the veteran filmmaker

In his tribute, Pandit recalled Singh’s professional achievements and their personal association. He praised the filmmaker’s work on CID and Aahat and expressed condolences to his family and loved ones.

Singh’s death marks the loss of a veteran television professional whose productions helped shape crime and horror programming in India.

His work on CID and Aahat remains a significant part of his legacy in Indian television.