Ruling BJP wins both assembly bypoll seats in Karnataka

Bengaluru: The ruling BJP in Karnataka on Tuesday won the byelections to two assembly constituencies, wresting the seats from opposition Congress and JDS. It created history, recording its first-ever victory in the Sira assembly segment in Tumakuru district with party candidate Dr C M Rajesh Gowda romping home with a margin of over 12,000 votes.

N Munirathana emerged the winner in Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency with a margin of over 58,000 votes against his nearest Congress rival Kusuma H, officials said. Munirathna had won the RR Nagar seat as a Congress candidate in 2018 and the bypoll was necessitated by his disqualification, following which he joined the BJP last year. This is the third straight victory for Munirathna since 2013 in the constituency and his first as the BJP candidate.

In Sira, Gowda defeated his closest rival T B Jayachandra of the Congress, relegating JDS, which had held the seat, to the third place. The party also ended up third in RR Nagar. The by-polls were held on November 3 and the counting of votes was taken up on Tuesday.