Cong makes moderate gains in H-K region

 The Congress has gained moderately in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region comprising five districts of Bidar, Gulbarga, Yadgir, Raichur and Koppal, at the cost of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.

The nascent Karnataka Janata Party has opened its account in the region by winning two seats while the Karnataka Makkala Paksha (KMP) of controversial entrepreneur Ashok Kheny has also opened its account with Kheny winning from Bidar South.

Out of 31 seats in the region, Congress has bagged 19 as against 15 in the 2008 elections while the BJP has got four and lost seven. The JD(S) has won four seats as against five the last time.

In Gulbarga district, the Congress has shown an impressive performance by winning seven out of nine, while leaving one each to the BJP and the KJP. In Yadgir, out of four, the Congress has won three and KJP one. In Bidar, the Congress performance is rather poor as out of six seats, it could win only two, leaving one seat each to the BJP, JD(S), KJP and KMP. In Raichur, out of seven, the Congress has bagged four, JD(S) two and the BJP one. In Koppal district the Congress has won three and the BJP and the JD(S) one each.

The anti-incumbency sentiments were so strong that minister Revu Nayak Belamagi (Gulbarga Rural), former ministers Sunil Vallyapur (Chincholi), Raju Gowda (Shorapur) and political secretary to chief minister Shivanagouda Nayak (Devadurga) lost. The glamour of tinsel star Pooja Gandhi of the BSR Congress failed utterly and she lost her deposit in the Raichur constituency. A stunning result came from Shahapur where Guru Patil of the KJP upset the strong man and former minister Sharanabasappa Darshanapur of the Congress.

Smiles have returned to the faces of the Congress stalwart duo of Mallikarjun Kharge and Dharam Singh as their sons Priyank Kharge and Dr Ajay Singh have succeeded in their second attempt from Chittapur (SC) and Jewargi, respectively. Both had lost in the pervious elections. The KJP was hoping to make significant gains, but could win only three seats.

Former deputy chairman of the Legislative Council B R Patil from Aland, Guru Patil from Shahapur and Gurupadappa Nagmarpalli from Bidar are the only winners. The erstwhile Janata Parivar leaders S K Kantha, M Y Patil and Vaijanath Patil have failed to sail through on the KJP tickets.