<p>The ruling Congress retained both Bagalkot and Davangere South Assembly seats in the April 9 bypolls giving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah a breather amid a power transfer fiasco. But the party also got a reality check after it denied a ticket to a Muslim candidate in Davangere South.</p><p>The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) dented Congress’s traditional Muslim vote, narrowing the party’s victory margin with Afsar Kodlipete grabbing 18,975 votes.</p><p>Congress’s Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa, managed to retain the seat after a close fight with BJP’s Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, but by just 5,708 votes — a steep fall from the 27,888-vote margin the party posted in 2023.</p><p>The Muslim community and leaders resented Congress giving a ticket to the Shamanur family, which already has a minister (S S Mallikarjun) and an MP (Prabha Mallikarjun). Soon after polling, the Congress expelled MLC Abdul Jabbar and removed MLC Nasir Ahmed as the CM’s political secretary citing “anti-party” activities.</p>.Karnataka bypolls: Congress dominates, yet to lose a by-election since coming to power.<p>Meanwhile, the BJP had hoped to cash in on Muslim disgruntlement and to breach the ‘Ahinda’ vote by fielding an ST leader.</p><p>In contrast, Bagalkot gave Congress comfort. Infighting among the late Meti’s children for the ticket ended in a consensus candidate after Siddaramaiah’s early intervention. Umesh Meti, political novice and son of the late H Y Meti, won by 22,867 votes against BJP’s Veeranna Charanthimath, nearly four times his father’s 5,878-vote margin in 2023.</p><p>The sympathy factor, PWD minister and Ahinda leader Satish Jarkiholi’s election management in Bagalkot, Siddaramaiah’s popularity, and the five guarantees, helped Congress win. Also, the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues camping in Bagalkot for over 10 days, yielded result.</p><p>‘SDPI caused damage’</p><p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar hailed the guarantee schemes, while flagging the low-margin win in Davangere saying, “SDPI caused damage.”</p><p>For the BJP, which is also grappling with a leadership issue, a united front still wasn’t enough to breach Congress bastions.</p>.Karnataka bypolls: Hammer and chisel employed as keys to strongrooms go missing in Davanagere South.<p><strong>Leader of the Opposition</strong></p><p>R Ashoka claimed that the ruling party always had an edge, and both seats were previously held by the Congress. “The BJP gave a tough fight.”</p><p>Also, allegations of a tacit understanding between the Shamanur family and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa gained traction after the BJP fielded a non-Lingayat and “weak” candidate, which could polarise Lingayat votes. In the 2024 Parliament elections, Shamanur</p><p>Shivashankarappa had openly endorsed fellow Lingayat Yediyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra for Shivamogga.</p><p>Yet in the bypoll, BJP’s Srinivas secured 63,870 votes, while Ajay Kumar, a Lingayat and the party’s defeated candidate from 2023, polled only 56,410 votes.</p>
<p>The ruling Congress retained both Bagalkot and Davangere South Assembly seats in the April 9 bypolls giving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah a breather amid a power transfer fiasco. But the party also got a reality check after it denied a ticket to a Muslim candidate in Davangere South.</p><p>The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) dented Congress’s traditional Muslim vote, narrowing the party’s victory margin with Afsar Kodlipete grabbing 18,975 votes.</p><p>Congress’s Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of the late Shamanur Shivashankarappa, managed to retain the seat after a close fight with BJP’s Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, but by just 5,708 votes — a steep fall from the 27,888-vote margin the party posted in 2023.</p><p>The Muslim community and leaders resented Congress giving a ticket to the Shamanur family, which already has a minister (S S Mallikarjun) and an MP (Prabha Mallikarjun). Soon after polling, the Congress expelled MLC Abdul Jabbar and removed MLC Nasir Ahmed as the CM’s political secretary citing “anti-party” activities.</p>.Karnataka bypolls: Congress dominates, yet to lose a by-election since coming to power.<p>Meanwhile, the BJP had hoped to cash in on Muslim disgruntlement and to breach the ‘Ahinda’ vote by fielding an ST leader.</p><p>In contrast, Bagalkot gave Congress comfort. Infighting among the late Meti’s children for the ticket ended in a consensus candidate after Siddaramaiah’s early intervention. Umesh Meti, political novice and son of the late H Y Meti, won by 22,867 votes against BJP’s Veeranna Charanthimath, nearly four times his father’s 5,878-vote margin in 2023.</p><p>The sympathy factor, PWD minister and Ahinda leader Satish Jarkiholi’s election management in Bagalkot, Siddaramaiah’s popularity, and the five guarantees, helped Congress win. Also, the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues camping in Bagalkot for over 10 days, yielded result.</p><p>‘SDPI caused damage’</p><p>Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar hailed the guarantee schemes, while flagging the low-margin win in Davangere saying, “SDPI caused damage.”</p><p>For the BJP, which is also grappling with a leadership issue, a united front still wasn’t enough to breach Congress bastions.</p>.Karnataka bypolls: Hammer and chisel employed as keys to strongrooms go missing in Davanagere South.<p><strong>Leader of the Opposition</strong></p><p>R Ashoka claimed that the ruling party always had an edge, and both seats were previously held by the Congress. “The BJP gave a tough fight.”</p><p>Also, allegations of a tacit understanding between the Shamanur family and former chief minister B S Yediyurappa gained traction after the BJP fielded a non-Lingayat and “weak” candidate, which could polarise Lingayat votes. In the 2024 Parliament elections, Shamanur</p><p>Shivashankarappa had openly endorsed fellow Lingayat Yediyurappa’s son B Y Raghavendra for Shivamogga.</p><p>Yet in the bypoll, BJP’s Srinivas secured 63,870 votes, while Ajay Kumar, a Lingayat and the party’s defeated candidate from 2023, polled only 56,410 votes.</p>