NEW DELHI: Early trends in the Karnataka bypolls show the ruling parties holding a lead in their respective constituencies. The Congress party leading in the Sandur constituency, BJP dominating in Shiggaon, and JD(S) in the lead in Channapatna
The vote counting for the bypolls conducted on November 13, is held in 3 segments.
There was a direct contest between the ruling Congress and BJP in the Sandur and Shiggaon constituencies, while in Channapatna, JD(S), a member of the NDA, faced off against the Congress party.
The bypolls for Sandur, Shiggaon, and Channapatna were initiated due to the vacancies created after their respective representatives: E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and union minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) — were elected to the Lok Sabha in the May elections.
Of the three constituencies, Channapatna saw a "high-profile" contest, with JD(S) actor-turned-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of former CM H D Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, leading against Congress' C P Yogeeshwara.
Yogeeshwara, a former actor-turned-politician and a five-time MLA from Channapatna, joined the Congress after leaving the BJP ahead of his nomination. He had also served as a former minister.
BJP and JD(S) leaders had together campaigned for Nikhil in Channapatna.
In Shiggaon, BJP's Bharath Bommai, son of former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, is leading against Congress' Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had been defeated by the former chief minister in the 2023 Assembly elections.
In Sandur, E Annapurna of Congress, wife of Bellary MP Tukaram, is competing for the seat vacated by her husband, leading against BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu.
With the nomination of Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of the Gowda and Bommai families stays deeply involved in this bypoll battle as both their fathers and grandfathers previously served as chief ministers of Karnataka.