Council elections for 3 seats tomorrow

Bangalore, Oct 30 (UNI) The BJP and the Congress will have a straight fight in the elections for the three Karnataka Legislative Council seats from local bodies constituencies of Dharwad, Madikeri and Belgaum to be held tomorrow.

With Janata Dal(S) was extending support to the Congress in all the three seats, BJP faces an acid test after it came to power for the first time in south India in May.

The representatives of panchayats, urban local bodies, MPs and legislators would vote for electing their candidates. The counting of votes would be taken up on November three.

A keen tussle will be witnessed at Dharwad with former MLA Shivaraj Sajjanar of BJP pitted against Shrinivas Mane of Congress.

The tenure for the seat was only for 14 months.

The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Basavaraj Bommai representing JD(U). He later contested in the Assembly elections and won on a BJP ticket and became a minister.

The Congress has entered into an alliance with the JD(S) in this constituency with the primary object to defeat the BJP. Shrinivas Mane, belonging to KPCC youth wing has worked as General Secretary.

In Madikeri, Mittu Chengappa of Congress will lockhorns against S G Medappa of BJP. The poll was caused after Arun Machaiah of BJP quit the seat to contest the Assembly election and won.

In Belgaum, S C Malagi of Congress will fight with Shashikant Naik of the BJP. The election was caused by the resignation of Satish L Jarkiholi, formerly a JD(S) leader, who also resigned to contest for Assembly. He won on a BJP ticket and became a minister.

The 75-member House has 28 members from Congress followed by 23 BJP members.

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