Though the bypoll results in Karnataka announced on Tuesday show a status quo, the political impact speak a downtrend for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The bypoll results for the three constituencies which were held last Saturday in Hebbal in Urban Bengaluru, Bidar and Devadurga in north Karnataka shows un impressive show by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who has been facing a revolt within.
The BJP which won in Hebbal and Devadurga maintains its status quo as for as numbers are considered, but it had a cascading effect on the ruling Congress Government led by Siddaramaiah. The Congress won the Bidar seat giving a jolt to the BJP as it was always the bastion of the saffron brigade and for the Congress and for both Siddaramaiah and the leader of Opposition in lok Sabha Mallikharjuna Kharge, it was a defeat in Devadurga which was always won by the Congress. Kharge a powerful Dalit leader hails from Raichur district and the defeat shows a new political thinking here.
Political observers feel the bypoll results were a setback to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and for the ruling Congress considering the prestige invested in the contest to wrest the seats from BJP.
Bogged down by infighting, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda-led JD(S) lost deposit in all the constituencies.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, Siddaramaiah said he will “bow” to the verdict of the people but said that the verdict would have no bearing on his Government.
Home Minister and also State Congress Chief G Parameshwara said the party will introspect about its loss in two seats. “We aimed to win all the three but expected at least two but the outcome is not that way. We will introspect and find reasons about loss in two seats,” he said.
BJP leader Prahlad Joshi said it was a vote against the “arrogant conduct” of Siddaramaiah while another party leader and former Chief Minister Jagadish
Shettar claimed it was an indicator of the future political direction in the State.
Amid by-election results, all the three parties are also pinning hopes on Zilla and Taluk Panchayat elections outcome for which the first phase of polls in 15 districts were held on Friday. The second phase of polling for the rest 15 districts will be held on February20. The results will be out on February 23.
Rahim Khan of the Congress won by a margin of 22,721 votes defeating Prakash Khandre of the BJP in Bidar. All eight other candidates, including those from the JD(S) and BSP, lost their deposits.
In Hebbal, YA Narayana Swamy (BJP) polled 60,367 votes to win by a margin of 19,149 votes. His nearest rival, C.K. Abdul Rahman Shariff (Congress), polled 41,218 votes.
K Shivanagowda Naik (BJP) won by 72,647 votes in Devadurga, securing 16,871 more votes than A. Rajashekhra Naik of the Congress.