Karnataka bypolls: Trends show BJP leading in both seats

Bengaluru: The ruling BJP is leading ahead of opposition Congress and JD(S) in the bypolls held for two assembly constituencies in the state, poll officials said on Tuesday.

Votes polled in the November 3 bypolls to Sira in Tumakuru district and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (R R Nagar) in the city were taken up for counting at 8 am and the results are expected to be out by afternoon.

According to the Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer's office, the trends show- BJP's Dr C M Rajesh Gowda is leading with 8,919 votes in Sira, followed by Congress' T B Jayachandra with 7,577.

JD(S)' Ammajamma B is in third place with 4842 votes.

In R R Nagar too BJP's N Munirathana is leading with 22,845 votes, followed by Congress' Kusuma H with 11,121.

JD(S) is in third place here too with party candidate V Krishtramurthy so far securing 728 votes.

The bypoll has been necessitated in Sira following the death of JD(S) MLA B Sathyanarayana in August, while R R Nagar seat here fell vacant due to disqualification of the then Congress MLA N Munirathna last year under anti-defection law.

If Rajesh Gowda, a radiologist wins Sira, this will be the BJP's first ever win in the assembly segment.

He is the son of former Congress MP C P Mudalagiriyappa, and had recently joined the party.

His opponent is 71-year-old Congress leader T B Jayachandra, a six



time MLA and former Minister who had lost to Sathyanarayana of JD(S) during 2018 assembly polls.

The JD(S) with an eye on sympathy votes had fielded Ammajamma, wife of late MLA Sathyanarayana.

Jayachandra is currently under treatment in hospital for COVID-19.

In RR Nagar, if Munirathna wins this will be his third consecutive victory and first as the BJP candidate.

He had won the seat in 2013 and 2018 assembly polls on the Congress' ticket.

Munirathna, after his disqualification last year, had joined the BJP.

The party gave his ticket after he was cleared by the courts of the charges of election malpractices, despite stiff resistance from within.

He is pitted against fresh faces, the Congress has fielded Kusuma H, wife of late IAS officer D K Ravi and V Krishnamurthy is the JD(S) candidate.

Some exit polls had indicated that BJP will sweep RR Nagar and Sira bypolls, but the opposition parties have rejected the predictions.

It was said that the bypoll results would be seen in many quarters as a reflection on Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa led government's performance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the Congress and JD(S) were keen to strike after facing a rout in December 2019 bypolls, the BJP is aiming to keep its winning streak intact.