Exit polls say BJP will win Karnataka by-elections

Local exit polls in Karnataka predict that the ruling BJP will win the majority of Thursday’s by-elections in 15 Assembly segments.

Power TV, a Kannada news channel, has estimated a minimum of eight and a maximum of 12 Assembly seats for the BJP.

For Congress, it predicted three to six wins in the by-elections and 0 to two seats for Janata Dal (Secular).

The BJP and the opposition Congress contested in all the 15 Assembly seats, while the JD-S only in 12 seats.

The outcome of the by-elections will decide the survival and continuation of the four-month-old BJP government in the southern state.

The ruling party, which has 105 members, including one independent but excluding the Speaker, needs to win seven more seats to have a majority in the 225-member Assembly, whose current strength is 223.

The Congress has 66 members, the JD-S 34 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) one.

Public TV, also a Kannada news channel, predicted 8 to 10 seats for BJP, 1 to 2 seats for JD (S) and 3 to 5 for the Congress. BTV, another vernacular news channel, estimated the BJP to win 9 to 11 seats, 0 to 2 seats for JD(S) and 2 to 4 seats for the Congress.

Hosakote seat is expected to see a close fight between the Congress and the BJP, according to Power TV and Public TV whereas BTV predicted victory for an independent candidate.

In Bengaluru city, Power TV is expecting the Congress to win the Shivajinagar seat while BTV predicted the BJP to win it. Public TV predicted a close fight between the Congress and the BJP.

According to Centre for voting opinion and trends in election research (CVoter), the BJP is expected to win 12 of the 15 seats contested on Thursday.

It predicted the Congress to win only three seats and said the JD(S) may not win even a single seat.

In 4,185 polling stations, 37.77 lakh electors, including 4,711 service electors, cast their votes on Thursday, the Election Commission said.

On Thursday, the by-elections were held in Athani, Kagwad, Gokak, Yellapura, Hirekerur, Ranibennur, Vijaynagara, Chickballapura, KR Pura, Yeshwanthpura, Mahalakshmi Layout, Shivajinagara, Hosakote, KR Pete and Hunsur.

As many as 248 candidates, 234 males and 14 females, contested the by-elections for 15 constituencies in the state.

Counting of votes will take place on Dec.9.

A record 90.44 per cent turnout was registered in Hosakote in Bengaluru Rural District where the ruling BJP fielded Congress defector M.T.B. Nagaraj, who declared a whopping Rs 1,223 crore worth of assets in his nomination affidavit.

Chikkaballapur, a rural constituency about 60km east of Bengaluru, recorded a whopping 86.40 per cent. Congress defector K. Sudhakar was the ruling party’s candidate in this prestigious seat.

Likewise, Hunasuru in Mysuru district registered 80.71 per cent. The BJP fielded Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) defector A.H. Vishwanath from this rural seat.

K.R. Pete in Mandya district recorded 80 per cent. BJP fielded JD-S defector K.C. Narayana Gowda from this rural segment.

Hirekerur in Haveri district recorded 78.63 per cent. The BJP fielded Congress defector B.C. Patil from this rural constituency.

Similarly, Yellapur in Uttar Kannada district registered 77.52 per cent. The BJP fielded Congress defector Shivaram Hebbar from this rural constituency.

Kagwad in Belagavi district had 76.27 per cent turnout, followed by Athani with 75.23 per cent, Ranibennur in Haveri district with 73.53 per cent and Gokak in Belagavi district, where Congress defector Ramesh Jarkiholi contested on the BJP ticket, 73.08 per cent polling.

As in the past, the four assembly segments in Bengaluru had poor turnout, with the lowest percentage of 43.25 in K.R. Pura in the east, followed by Shivajinagar in the city centre at 44.6, Mahalakshmi Layout in northwest at 50.92 and Yeshvanthpur in north with 54.13 per cent.

The BJP fielded Congress defector Byrathi Basavaraj in K.R. Pura, JD-S defector K. Gopalaiah in Mahalakshmi and Congress defector S.T. Somashekar in Yeshvanthpur.

Indo-Asian News Service