Vinay Kulkarni, a Congress MLA from Karnataka, has been stripped of his seat in the state assembly. This decision comes after he was convicted in a murder case involving a BJP leader. Kulkarni was convicted along with 15 others under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, including conspiracy and murder. He was sentenced to life imprisonment on April 17.

The case dates back to 2016 when BJP Zilla Panchayat member Yogeshgouda Goudar was brutally murdered in his gym in Dharwad. At the time, Kulkarni was a minister in the state government. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took over the case in 2019 and filed a supplementary chargesheet in 2020, naming Kulkarni as the main conspirator.

Kulkarni was arrested by the CBI in 2020 and granted bail by the Supreme Court in 2021. However, his bail was cancelled in June 2025 due to allegations of witness tampering. He was denied bail again in January 2026, but the Supreme Court granted him bail in February 2026.

The disqualification of Kulkarni has left a vacancy in the Karnataka legislative assembly. Bypolls were held on April 9 to fill two other seats that fell vacant due to the death of sitting MLAs. The results of the bypolls are expected to be declared on May 4.

Kulkarni's conviction and disqualification have severe implications for his future in politics. The six-year disqualification period means he will be barred from contesting elections for a significant amount of time. This could potentially impact his political ambitions and influence in the state.