Deve Gowda nominee fails to win in JD(S) stronghold Hassan.
Congress party workerks celebrate party candidate Srinivasa Mane's victory in Dharwad on Wednesday.
Bengaluru: The Legislative Council election results from the local bodies constituencies, have come as shot in the arm for Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, who has been facing internal dissidence in the Congress party over his style of functioning.
In the prestigious election to 25 seats, the Congress won 13 seats of the 20 it contested belying two internal reports submitted by the state intelligence department just three days ahead of polling that dissidence could spoil the party’s prospects. Mr Siddaramaiah and his team ensured tickets for most of his followers and the majority of them won. His position in the party has grown stronger, at least till the crucial Zilla panchayat and Taluk panchyat polls in February.
Mr Siddaramaiah's biggest achievement in this election was to neutralise the impact of rebels using key leaders.
In Bengaluru Urban, he ensured that city strongman and transport minister, R. Ramalinga Reddy got involved in the election, which ensured the victory of party candidate Narayanaswamy but at the same time, the party failed win a seat in Belagavi, where it had deliberately fielded a single candidate, Veerkumar Patil. The BJP was hoping to deal a major blow to the ruling party and has reason to be thoroughly disappointed with its performance. Former prime minister, H. D. Deve Gowda’s JD(S) won four seats but failed to win in his own backyard, Hassan while the BJP's rebel candidate, Basanagouda Patil Yatnal emerged victorious in Vijayapura-Bagalkote proving much to the chagrin of the saffron party that he is a popular leader in the region.
In Kalaburagi, considered a stronghold of top Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, the BJP dealt a body blow to the Congress winning the seat by a huge margin. The Congress also lost in Kolar, considered a bastion of former Union minister K.H. Muniyappa and in Tumkuru.
Although, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah managed to secure his hometown, Mysuru, for the Congress, questions are being raised over his decision to field a single candidate in all five twin seat constituencies including Mysuru.
Elated over the victory, Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah described it as a mandate for the Congress. The BJP downplayed the setback saying that it had almost retained its strength in the Legislative Council. The JDS was hoping to win at least 5-6 seats and is in shock over its humiliating defeat in Hassan.
The Deve Gowda family feud is said to be the reason for the drubbing in its stronghold Hassan.
Congress scores a blank in Tumakuru,Kolar, party infighting to blame?
The Congress failed to bag the Tumakuru and Kolar seats in the MLC elections with sources saying a group within the party worked against their candidates at the last hour. Former Union minister K.H. Muniyappa had lobbied at the AICC level to get a ticket for his nominee and Kolar DCC President Anil Kumar. Sources said supporters of Chikkaballapura MP Veerappa Moily who include MLAs Shivashankara Reddy, Subba Reddy and former minister V. Muniyappa worked against the Congress candidate. As expected, film producer-turned-politician and JD(S) candidate for Kolar-Chikkaballapura C.R. Manohar, won by a margin of 943 votes against Congress candidate Anil Kumar. Manohar got 3,221 votes, while Anil Kumar could muster only 2,278 votes. The BJP’s G.E. Ramegowda had to be satisfied with 210 votes.
In Tumakuru, supporters of Minister for Law T.B. Jayachandra- who tried to get the ticket for his son Santhosh Jayachandra- are said to have worked against Congress candidate Rajendra R, son of Madhugiri MLA K.N. Rajanna. Though it was supposed to be a fight between the Congress and BJP in Tumakuru, JD(S) candidate BEML Kantharaj emerged winner against Congress candidate Rajendra, who is District Youth Congress president. BEML Kantharaj won by 1,077 votes. The BJP’s M.R. Hulinaykar had to be satisfied with 1,435 votes.
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( Source : deccan chronicle )
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