Shiggaon By-election 2024 Results: Congress Claims Victory, Defeats Bommai's Son After 30 Years

Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan emerged victorious in the Shiggaon Assembly by-election, defeating Bharath Bommai, the son of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, by a significant margin of 13,448 votes.

The bypoll, held on November 13, was triggered by Basavaraj Bommai's move to the Lok Sabha, which resulted in the vacancy of the Karnataka Assembly seat. This election marked Bharath Bommai's inaugural contest amidst political challenges, while Yasir Pathan celebrated success after a previous defeat in the 2023 Assembly elections against Basavaraj Bommai.

Despite Bharath Bommai's prominent family legacy, his candidacy faced resistance within BJP ranks, with some local contenders like Srikant Dundigowdar expressing dissatisfaction over his limited involvement in party activities before entering the race. However, the BJP remained confident in his success, banking on his political lineage.

Bharath, a resident of R.T. Nagar in Bengaluru, is relatively new to the political arena. Prior to his electoral debut, he pursued business ventures after completing his Bachelor of Engineering at Purdue University in the United States and an MBA from Singapore Management University. He largely stayed out of the spotlight during his father Basavaraj Bommai's tenure as Chief Minister in the previous BJP government, focusing instead on his professional ventures.

It must be noted that the Shiggaon constituency, located 370 km from Bengaluru, had been a stronghold of the BJP since 2004, and the party was determined to retain control. Congress, which last held the seat in 1994, invested heavily in backing Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan, aiming to appeal to minority and Dalit voters, with Pathan's Muslim background being a key element in their strategy.

Meanwhile, BJP rallied prominent figures like former CM B.S. Yediyurappa and Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka to support Bharath. However, the party faced some discomfort, as Basavaraj Bommai had trailed by 8,500 votes in Shiggaon during the 2023 Lok Sabha elections, despite the BJP securing a strong 36,000-vote lead in the Assembly elections earlier that year.

The election was further influenced by the ongoing Waqf issue, with BJP using it as a platform to target Congress. The full impact of this issue on voter sentiment will become clearer after the final results are declared on November 23.