In a setback to chief minister Siddaramaiah, ruling Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday won one seat and its rival BJP two in the fiercely-fought February 12 Assembly bypolls.
In a setback to chief minister Siddaramaiah, ruling Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday won one seat and its rival BJP two in the fiercely-fought February 12 Assembly bypolls.
In the direct fight, BJP retained Hebbal in Bengaluru and wrested Devadurga in Raichur district from Congress which snatched Bidar in north Karnataka from its arch rival.
Of the three seats that went to bypolls due to the death of sitting members, BJP had held two and Congress one. The outcome has come as a blow to Siddaramaiah considering the prestige invested in the contest to wrest the seats from BJP.
Bogged down by infighting, former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda-led JD(S) lost deposit in all the constituencies.
BJP candidate Y.A. Narayana Swamy defeated his nearest Congress opponent C.K. Abdul Rahman Sharief, grandson of former railway minister C.K. Jaffar Sharief, by a margin of 19,149 votes in Hebbal.
Mr Sharief was given the ticket at the last minute against the wishes of Siddaramaiah who had plumped for his favourite Byrathi Suresh, an MLC, as the candidate. In Bidar, Congress’ Rahim Khan triumphed by a margin of 22,721 votes, defeating his closest opponent Prakash Khandre of BJP.
