JOIN USJD(S) candidate Renuka Ramakrishna has been elected the ZP member after the by-election results were declared for Koppa Zilla Panchayat (ZP) constituency in Maddur on Wednesday. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of Janakamma (Congress).
Of the 21,876 votes polled, Renuka secured 12,023 votes while her nearest opponent Congress candidate Kalavathi Prakash managed to get 9,339 votes. BJP candidate Puttamma, however, secured only 302 votes and lost her deposit. Independent candidates Srimati Nagaraju secured 125 and as many as 87 voters opted for None of the Above (NOTA).
Cheluvarayaswamy targeted
Following the announcement of the results, JD(S) leaders, including, MLAs and MLC targeted JD(S) rebel Cheluvarayaswamy.
MLC K T Srikantegowda told reporters that the res-ults of the by-election is a referendum for Assembly
elections in 2018.
The party’s candidates who contested for the by-elections in Koppa, Mandya, Mysuru, Kolar emerged winners and it shows the people’s faith in the party. The achievement of the party will continue in Assembly polls too, he said.
Former MLA K Sureshgowda said that Cheluvaraya- swamy collected ‘hafta’ from the officials working in Nagamangala and Maddur taluk during elections.
“Cheluvarayaswamy also received Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh from two engineers by promising favourable transfers,” he said.
MLA Appajigowda said that the voters have taught a lesson to Cheluvarayaswamy. The victory has strengthened the party, he said.