Exit poll indicates BJP will sweep RR Nagar, Sira bypoll seats

BENGALURU: If the exit poll is anything to go by, the ruling BJP is likely to win both Sira and RR Nagar Assembly bypolls. The Congress, however, was sceptical of the exit poll and expressed confidence that the party would win both seats.  

According to the exit poll, BJP candidate N Munirathna will win in RR Nagar, Congress candidate H Kusuma will stand second and JDS candidate Krishnamurthy third. In Sira, BJP candidate Dr Rajesh Gowda will breast the victory tape, leaving behind Congress’ TB Jayachandra and JDS candidate Ammajamma in the second and third spots, said news television channels, citing the exit poll conducted by CVoter. 

However, KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre said exit polls can go wrong. “The BJP is in power and it could look like they are winning. But voters know better, and they are in our favour. Our internal survey says Congress will win both seats,” he told TNSE. People are unhappy with the BJP government as there is no development, he added. 

BJP National Secretary C T Ravi, concurring with the exit poll, said the BJP’s internal report as well as chief minister’s intelligence report favour the party in both constituencies.  “We will win RR Nagar by 25,000 lead and in Sira by 15,000,’’ Ravi said.  

From the beginning, BJP was confident of winning RR Nagar. “In Sira, though initially we had a 50:50 chance, clarity emerged in later stages. When the polling was just one week away, it was clear that the BJP would win in Sira,’’ he added.  CM BS Yediyurappa too had expressed confidence of winning both seats with a big margin.