Udupi, Chikmagalur by-poll results: Cong wins, BJP losses

Bangalore, Mar 21: Congress finally got a chance to celebrate. After the trail of corruption allegations faced by the leaders and ministers of ruling BJP government in Karnataka, people in Udupi and Chikamagalur elected Congress.

Congress won the by-poll election with 3,92,723 votes, while BJP and JDS managed to get only 3,52,999 and 70,206 votes, respectively. However, it was a tough fight between Congress and BJP. Celebration has been started in Karnataka following Congress's K Jayaprakash Hegde's victory over BJP's V Sunil Kumar.[Read: Yeddy responsible for BJP defeat in Udupi Chikmagalur bypoll]

About 66 per cent of 12.53 lakh electorate had cast their votes. It was a prestigious battle for BJP, particularly Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who had vacated the seat upon his elevation as Chief Minister. He had won by 27,000 votes in 2009 against Jayaprakash. [UPDATE: BJP blinks; Yeddyurappa to be made CM in 24 hours?]

This was the second by-poll being held in the state after Gowda assumed office. BJP was mauled in the by-election to Bellary Rural Assembly seat in 2011, which was won by independent B Sreeramulu, who was not long ago a key leader of the ruling party before falling out with it.

OneIndia News