Karnataka bypolls : BJP wins two, Cong bags one

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Feb 16, 2016: BJP has won in two of the three Assembly constituencies that went to by-elections on Friday.  BJP won the Devadurga and Hebbal constituencies, while Congress bagged Bidar.

An earlier report quoted the office of Chief Electoral Officer saying that BJP was leading in Devadurga and Hebbal by a margin of 15,025 votes and 16,171 votes, respectively. Congress was ahead in Bidar by a margin of 20,248 votes till around noon.

The by-polls were necessitated due to the death of sitting members.

In all the three constituencies, there is a direct fight between ruling Congress and opposition BJP, while political infighting in former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda-led JD(S) has reduced the party to third position.

Hebbal in Bengaluru was considered crucial for Congress as stakes were high for the party which had fielded C K Abdul Rahman Sharief, grandson of senior party leader C K Jaffer Sharief, against the wishes of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

As per noon report, BJP’s Y A Narayana Swamy in Hebbal was leading with 37,640 votes, while Rahman Shariff had secured 21,469 and JD(S) candidate Ismail Sharieff Nana 2,515 votes.

Ten candidates are in the fray in Bidar, three in Devadurga and 20 in Hebbal.

Of the three seats, BJP had held Hebbal and Bidar, and Congress Devadurga.