Jagadish Shettar to contest in Karnataka MLC bypolls

In an effort to strengthen their position in the upcoming Karnataka legislative council bypolls, the Congress party has chosen Jagadish Shettar, a former Chief Minister and recently defeated Assembly election candidate, as their contender. The party has also announced Tippannappa Kamaknoor and NS Boseraju as candidates for the MLC bypolls, set to take place on June 30.

These bypolls were triggered by the resignations of three BJP leaders, Laxman Savadi, Baburao Chianchansur, and R Shankar, who stepped down after being denied party tickets for the Assembly polls.

Interestingly, Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader, had previously left the BJP and joined the Congress due to similar circumstances. Despite his loss in the recent elections, the Congress has been strategizing on how to utilize Shettar's influence ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Given that the MLC bypolls involve voting by MLAs, the Congress holds an advantage with its 135 seats in the ruling party. The election is scheduled for June 30, with the results expected to be declared on the same day.