Ruling Congress retains Nanjangud, Gundlupet seats

The ruling Congress retained its hold over Karnataka, winning Nanjangud and Gundlupet Assembly seats. Congress' Kalale N Keshavamurthy defeated his nearest rival V Srinivas Prasad (BJP) by over 21,000 votes in Nanjangud.

In Gundlupet,  M C Mohana Kumari (Geetha Mahadeva Prasad) of Congress trounced BJP's C S Niranjan Kumar by over 10,000 votes, an election official said. Both the seats were held by Congress.

"It has hurt us that a senior leader like V Srinivas Prasad should face defeat in Nanjangud contituency. But our aim to secure 150 seats in the next assembly elections remains firm", said Yeddyurappa.

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister R Ashoka alleged that the state goverment misused official mechinary to win the bypolls. "we take the defeat as a challenge to emerge victorious in the assembly polls next year, he said.

KPCC President G Parameshwara said that it is a mandate for the achievements of the state government during the last two years. Polling for both the seats was held on April 9. The bypolls are considered as prestige battle for the two national parties. The results are seen as pointer to the crucial assembly elections to be held next year.

Bypoll in Nanjangud was necessitated due to the resignation of Srinivas Prasad as the Congress MLA. He later quit Congress and joined BJP to contest the bypoll. In Gundlupet, bypoll is necessitated due to the death of H S Mahadeva Prasad. Congress candidate MC Mohana Kumari is the wife of late Mahadeva Prasad.