Karnataka MLC elections: Yeddyurappa, Kharge, Gowda lose bastions; Congress wins 13 seats

www.mangaloretoday.com

Mangaluru, Dec 30, 2015: Congress continued its winning streak in Karnataka as it has won 13 of the 25 MLC seats in the state legislative council. Importantly, most of the candidates, for whom Chief Minister Siddaramaiah personally rooted for, have won giving him a personal boost.

The BJP won six seats, while the Janata Dal Secular won just four. Independents won two. The BJP lost Shimoga, the home turf of former CM Yeddiyurappa. Sitting MLC RK Siddaramanna was pushed to the third place, as Yeddiyurappa did not campaign for him. In Devegowda’s Hassan stronghold, JDS has lost, while BJP won from top Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge’s burrough of Gulbarga. Similarly, JDS defeated Congress in Veeappa Moily’s Kolar. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described the victory as a mandate for the Congress.

In HD Deve Gowda’s fiefdom Hassan, JDS has suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of Congress. In top Congress leader M Mallikarjuna Kharge’s bastion Gulbarga district, the BJP has dealt a body blow to Congress by winning the seat by a huge margin. In Kolar district, represented by former Union Ministers M Veerappa Moily and KH Muniyappa in the Lok Sabha, the JDS has won by defeating the Congress. It is now being seen as the defeat of the leaders cutting across party lines.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has managed to secure his hometown Mysore district for the Congress. The Congress has also won Bangalore City District. The BJP rebel and former Union Minister BR Patil Yatnal has won Bijapura district by pushing the BJP to third place.

Former chief minister N Dharam Singh’s son Vijay Singh has won on Congress ticket from Bidar district. Former MP KC Kondaiah of the Congress has won from Bellary district. The Congress has also won Uttara Kannada, Dakshina Kannada, Bangalore Rural, Chitradurga, Dharwad, Bijapura, Raichur districts. The BJP has won Bijapura, Dakshina Kannada, Gulbarga, Chikmagalur, Kodagu and Dharwad districts. Dakshina Kannada, Mysore, Bijapura, Dharwad and Belgaum districts elect two members each.

An elated Siddaramaiah described the victory as a mandate for the Congress. The BJP has downplayed the setback saying that it has retained its strength in the upper house of the legislature. The JDS which was hoping to win at least 5-6 seats is in shock over its humiliating defeat in Hassan. The Gowda family feud is said to be the reason for the drubbing in Hassan.

Crucial Taluk Panchayat and Zilla Panchayat elections are going to be held in February – 2016.