Karnataka By-Election 2024 Begins Today: Key Developments In Channapatna, Shiggon, And Sandur

Polling has begun in Karnataka's crucial constituencies - Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur - where 45 candidates are competing in by-elections for these key seats. The seats were left vacant after JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and Congress's E Tukaram were appointed as Union ministers. Kumaraswamy, Bommai, and Tukaram previously held the Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur assembly seats, respectively.

Voting commenced at 7 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m. With over seven lakh eligible voters across approximately 770 polling stations, the election turnout will be closely watched for its potential impact on Karnataka's political landscape.

Notable candidates in this by-election include Nikhil Kumaraswamy, son of HD Kumaraswamy, representing the NDA from the JDS, and veteran Congress leader CP Yogeshwar, a five-time MLA, running for the Channapatna seat. In Shiggaon, BJP's Bharat Bommai, son of former CM Basavaraj Bommai, faces Congress's Yasir Ahmed Khan. Meanwhile, in Sandur, Congress's E Annapurna, wife of E Tukaram, contends with BJP's Bangaru Hanumanthu.

There are 31 candidates in Channapatna, while Sandur and Shiggaon have six and eight candidates, respectively.

Key Candidates by Constituency

Channapatna

• Vacated by: Former CM and current Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy
• JDS candidate: Nikhil Kumaraswamy (son of Kumaraswamy), contesting on an NDA ticket
• Congress candidate: CP Yogeshwar, five-time MLA and recent Congress addition from BJP

Shiggaon

• Vacated by: Former Karnataka CM and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai
• BJP candidate: Bharat Bommai (son of Basavaraj Bommai)
• Congress candidate: Yasir Ahmed Khan

Sandur

• Vacated by: Congress leader E Tukaram, now contesting in the Lok Sabha elections
• Congress candidate: E Annapurna (wife of Tukaram)
• BJP candidate: Bangaru Hanumanthu, BJP ST Morcha president, Kannada film actor, and associate of mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy