Boodideru bypoll: JD(S) rejoices, unexpected defeat shocks BJP

Party gains entry into Malur municipality

Umadevi, the JD(S) candidate, won the Boodideru seat bypoll of the Taluk Panchayat by 4,745 votes.

The BJP, however, had a major setback with C Narayana Gowda getting only 280 votes.
The counting began at the Mini Vidhana Soudha in the town at 8 am on Friday. Tahsildar P Jayamadhava and Deputy Superintendent of Police Govindaiah watched over the counting. Zilla Panchayat member Srinivas, JD(S) leader Munianjappa, Rajagopal and Raghupathi Reddy were present during the counting.

‘Inform winner’

The leaders were told after the results were declared to inform the winner and tell her to collect the election certificate.

Umadevi succeeds her husband Chowdegowda, whose murder had left an empty seat in the Taluk Panchayat.

The Congress had withdrawn from the contest, but BJP entry was a surprise. Realising that the JD(S) would obviously get votes on compassionate grounds, decided to withdraw its contestant. A party leader, however, added that such ‘cooperation’ would not be extended the next time.

However, the prominence of the JD(S) and the Congress in the district was brought to the fore-front again, through the by-elections.

Munianjappa said the victory only strengthened the party. “The campaigning was carried out through group leadership, as per the wishes of former minister the late Alangur Srinivas,” he added.

In Malur

The BJP and the Congress were thwarted in the bypoll for the Town Municipal Council Ward 5, with Bharathi Shankar, the JD(S) candidate winning 343 of the 637 votes.

N Supriya, the BJP candidate, got 190 votes, while S Vijayalakshmi of the Congress got a mere 97 votes.

The victory of Bharathi ensured an entry of the JD(S) into the TMC. The activists of the party, along with leader Kodihalli K S Manjunath of Hoskote taluk, burst crackers and distributed sweets in celebration.

The counting process was carried out at the Taluk Centre on Friday morning.

Thanks for 3 wins, JD(S) tells voters

The JD(S) thanked the voters of the district for its distinct victory in the three bypolls.
Attributing the sweeping win to the support of the citizens, former minister K Srinivasa Gowda and district president of the party G K Venkatashiva Reddy expressed gratitude on behalf of the entire party.

Speaking to mediapersons after declaration of results in Kolar on Friday, the leaders also thanked party president H D Kumaraswamy for his support. They hoped the party would continue to perform even better in the future.

Vemagal ZP seat bypoll winner L Asha said she would concentrate on the problems in the constituency and work to alleviate the problems faced by the residents.