Ballari: Though BJP emerged as the single largest party in the state assembly elections, the saffron party has managed to win only three seats out of the nine in this ore rich district of Ballari, while Congress party won six seats.
Despite the leadership of Valmiki strongman and BJP Lok Sabha member B. Sriramulu, backed by his mentor and mining scam tainted former minister Gali Janardhan Reddy, the BJP failed to regain its lost hold over the Ballari district.
Congress candidates, E. Tukaram from Sandur, P.T. Parameshwar Naik from Hadagali, Bhima Naik from Hagaribommanahalli, J.N. Ganesh from Kampli, B.S. Anand Singh from Hosapete and B. Nagendra from Ballari (ST) registered victory against BJP candidates.
Singh and Nagendra had quit BJP ahead of the polls and joined Congress.
While, BJP candidates N.Y. Gopala Krishna from Kudligi, M.S. Somalingappa from Siruguppa and G. Somashekhar Reddy from Ballari City have won. However, the defeat of Mr Sriramulu's nephew and two-time MLA from Kampli Mr T H Suresh Babu by Congress debutant Mr Ganesh is a jolt to the Reddy camp.
