BJP, JD-S win Karnataka bypolls, Congress loses again

BANGALORE - The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) Thursday grabbed a seat each in two Karnataka bypolls, but the Congress again drew a blank, continuing its dismal run in the state.

The JD-S scored an upset win in Gulbarga South when Aruna Patil Revoor, the widow of sitting BJP assembly member Revoor whose death necessitated the bypoll, rode home on the sympathy factor and the “BJP’s betrayal” in denying her the party nomination.

She defeated senior BJP state leader and legislative council member Sashil Namoshi and Congress candidate Ajay Singh, son of former chief minister N. Dharam Singh. Ajay Singh lost by over 3,000 votes.

Namoshi came third, just behind Singh. The BJP conceded the seat to the JD-S, which has little presence in north Karnataka.

The BJP won the Kadur seat in Chikmagalur district where the sympathy factor did not work for Congress nominee K.M. Kemparaju, brother of K.M. Krishnamurhty whose death brought about the bypoll.

BJP nominee Y.C. Vishwanath, a medical practitioner in the area, defeated his nearest rival, JD-S spokesperson and legislative council member Y.S.V. Datta, by over 13,000 votes. Kemparaju of the Congress came third.

The by-poll results are a severe blow to the Congress whose dismal show in all elections continues since the 2008 assembly polls, which brought the BJP to power for the first time in Karnataka and south India.

The loss in Gulbarga South is a major jolt to Dharam Singh and union Labour Minister Mallikharjun Kharge, considered the tallest Congress leaders in Gulbarga district.

The campaign for the two by-polls for which voting took place on Sep 13 was dominated by the illegal mining issue with the parties blaming each other for encouraging it.