A setback for CM Bommai despite bypoll gave BJP something to cheer about

News Network

November 2, 2021

In a setback to the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, the saffron party lost the Hangal assembly constituency bypoll to the Congress on Tuesday, a seat located in the chief minister’s home district of Haveri. However, a thumping victory in the Sindagi assembly bypoll gave the BJP something to cheer about.

They were the first assembly constituencies that faced elections after Bommai took charge as chief minister late July. He will soon celebrate 100 days in office.

In Hangal, Congress’ Srinivas Mane won by 7,373 votes against BJP’s Shivaraj Sajjanar, a non-Lingayat winning a Lingayat-dominated seat. BJP’s Ramesh Bhusanur registered a convincing victory in Sindgi, gaining a lead of 31,185 votes against Congress’ Ashok Managuli.

A win in Hangal was important for Bommai to assert himself: the seat neighbours Shiggaon, which he represents. Also, Bommai campaigned in Hangal for 8-10 days and several ministers were deployed to ensure the BJP’s victory. BJP's CM Udasi, who died in June, had won Hangal in 2018.

"I've taken this setback seriously. And, we will make corrections," Bommai said on the Hangal defeat. According to him, the BJP lost because it did not get votes from Udasi's support base. "Also, the Congress candidate Mane spent 2-3 years and worked during Covid-19 and other occasions. So, people supported him."

BJP’s poll managers conceded that it was a tough election from the get-go. According to sources, there was some split in Lingayat votes because of initial confusion on the candidature of BJP's CR Ballari - he was convinced not to rebel - and consolidation of Muslim votes that helped the Congress. Sajjanar, the defeated candidate, was seen as former chief minister BS Yediyurappa's pick.

In Sindagi, everything seems to have gone as per the BJP’s plan. It banked on two-time MLA Bhusanur, a Ganiga Lingayat, whereas discontentment in the Congress on fielding Ashok Managuli also added to it. Ashok, the son of late JD(S) MLA MC Managuli whose death necessitated the bypoll, was poached by the Congress.

The JD(S) strategy of fielding Muslims in both Hangal and Sindgi did not work and they lost their deposits.

The Congress sees this as a precursor to the 2023 Assembly polls. “It’s not a face-loss just for Bommai, but the entire BJP government,” KPCC president DK Shivakumar said.

"The BJP's downfall has begun. Modi's popularity is waning. It's certain that the Congress will come to power in 2023," Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said. He mockingly said the BJP lost a seat in Bommai's backyard. "He said he's the son of that soil, the son-in-law, he'd get buried there and all such emotional talk. Still, people in Hangal voted for our candidate," Siddaramaiah said.

Bommai reminded Siddaramaiah that when he was the CM the Congress won the Nanjangud and Gundlupet bypolls, going on to lose them later. "These elections are at a particular time and on an issue."

Even Yediyurappa maintained that this was not a referendum on Bommai's leadership. "It's always a collective effort and we can't blame one individual. The Congress needn't fly high. The BJP will return to power with 140+ seats," he said.

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Voting underway in Karnataka bypolls: Family legacies and political heavyweights battle across 3 segments

News Network

November 13,2024

Bengaluru: An estimated overall 10.14 per cent voter turnout was recorded during the first two hours, since the voting began for bypolls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka on Wednesday, election officials said.

The voting began at 7 am and will go on till 6 pm.

More than seven lakh voters are eligible to cast their votes in about 770 polling stations in Shiggaon, Sandur and Channapatna, where a total of 45 candidates are in the fray.

While Channapatna recorded 10.34 per cent voter turnout till 9 am, it was 10.08 per cent in Shiggaon, and 9.99 per cent in Sandur, election officials said.

Voters, including women and elderly were seen queuing up in front of polling booths in these segments.

By-polls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna are necessitated, as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) -- to Lok Sabha in May elections.

As many as 31 candidates are in the fray from Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight contenders, respectively.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three segments for the smooth conduct of the polls.

The by-polls will witness a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance is in contest against the grand old party.

Among the three segments, Channapatna is considered to be a "high profile", where the contest is between C P Yogeeshwara, a five time MLA from the segment and former Minister, who joined the Congress quitting BJP ahead of nomination, and actor-turned -politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is Kumaraswamy’s son and former PM H D Deve Gowda's grandson.

BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai, is fighting Congress Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former Chief Minister in the 2023 Assembly polls, in Shiggaon.

Bharath Bommai and his father cast their vote at a polling booth in Shiggaon segment.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram's wife E Annapurna of Congress is contesting from the seat vacated by her husband, against, BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu, who is considered close to party leader and former mining barron G Janardhan Reddy.

Annapurna, Tukaram and other family members cast their votes at a booth in the segment.

With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families are in the fray in this by-poll. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka's Chief Ministers in the past.

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