India, June 18 -- In the first electoral battle since the new government under chief minister DK Shivakumar took charge in Karnataka, the ruling Congress on Thursday won five of the seven Legislative Council seats that went to polls, while the opposition BJP bagged two.

The results also brought to light cross-voting by BJP and JD(S) legislators in favour of Congress candidates, as the ruling party received 151 votes, 11 more than the expected 140, PTI reported, quoting sources.

Eight candidates were in the fray for the seven MLC seats to be elected by MLAs, for which voting was held on Thursday at the Karnataka Vidhana Soudha. Votes were subsequently counted in the evening.

The polls were held as the terms of seven MLCs -- Congress lea...