Karnataka polls BJP's Channabasappa defeats Cong rival in Shimoga seat by 27,674 votes

Shivamogga: BJP leader S N Channabasappa, who was arrested eight years ago for an alleged hate speech against then Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, won the Shimoga seat by a margin of 27,674 votes on Saturday.

Channabasappa got 96,490 votes against 68,816 votes polled by his Congress rival H C Yogesh. JD(S) candidate A Manjunatha was in third place with 8,863 votes, according to the Election Commission website.

The BJP candidate, a Lingayat leader, was elected to the corporation four times. He served as general secretary of the BJP’s district unit.

K S Eshwarappa, who resigned as minister from the BJP government in the state following a bribery charge, is the outgoing MLA from the Shimoga seat. He announced his retirement from electoral politics last month.