Karnataka bypolls: Cong leads in Sandur, BJP and JD(S) ahead in Shiggaon and Channapatna

Bengaluru: Early trends show the ruling Congress leading in Sandur segment, and BJP and JD(S) ahead in Shiggaon and Channapatna constituencies respectively, as the counting of votes is underway for bypolls held in three Assembly segments in Karnataka.

The by-election for three segments was held on November 13, and the trends show the three parties leading in the seats they had represented in the past.

The bypolls for Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna were necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives — E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy of JD(S) to Lok Sabha in May elections.

The bypolls witnessed a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA took on the grand old party.

In Channapatna, which witnessed a “high profile” battle, among the three segments, JD(S)’ actor-turned-politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy, who is the son of Kumaraswamy and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda’s grandson, is leading against Congress’ C P Yogeeshwara.

A five-time MLA from the segment and a former minister, Yogeeshwara is also an actor-turned-politician. He had joined the Congress after quitting the BJP ahead of his nomination.

BJP and JD(S) leaders had together campaigned for Nikhil in Channapatna.

In Shiggaon, the BJP’s Bharath Bommai, son of Basavaraj Bommai is leading against Congress’ Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, who had faced defeat against the former chief minister in the 2023 Assembly polls.

In Sandur, Bellary MP Tukaram’s wife E Annapurna of Congress is leading in the seat vacated by her husband, against BJP ST Morcha president Bangaru Hanumanthu.

With Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharath Bommai contesting, the third generation of Gowda and Bommai families were in the fray in this bypoll battle. Both their fathers and grandfathers have served as Karnataka’s chief ministers in the past.