Kin of Dharam Singh, Shettar sail through

The Legislative Council polls this time saw candidates who are politically well connected easily winning and also some losing.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister N Dharam Singh has a reason to smile now because his son Vijay Singh has become an MLC. His other son, Dr Ajay Singh, is an MLA.
Another politically well connected candidate to win a seat is Sunil Subramani from Kodagu. He is the younger brother of BJP MLA Appachu Ranjan.

Former chief minister and senior BJP leader Jagadish Shettar did manage to get a ticket for his brother and ensure his victory. Pradeep Shettar, younger brother of Jagadish Shettar and a businessman, had unsuccessfully contested a byelection to the council in 2013. But this time he has made it to the Council.

The efforts of Energy Minister D K Shivakumar to field his cousin S Ravi, former MLC, did not go waste. Ravi has managed to win from Bengaluru Rural.

Vivek Rao Patil, son of the late minister V L Patil, has won from Belagavi as an independent candidate. His brother Amar Singh Patil was Belagavi MP. Vivek Patil has created a record of sorts this time by securing the highest number of votes compared to other candidates. He enjoys the backing of the Jharkiholi family.

Two candidates who managed to get tickets because of their family connections, but did not make it to the Council, are  Rajendra, son of Congress MLA K N Rajanna, and Sanjay Kheni, cousin of MLA and businessman Ashok Kheni.