<p>Hunsur Assembly constituency, which was a stronghold of the Congress up to 1983, is facing its fourth bypoll so far. However, none of them was due to the death of any sitting MLA.</p>.<p>The Hunsur segment has largely remained undisturbed, area-wise, since the first election in 1952, except for one term when it was a dual-member constituency along with HD Kote in the 1957 poll. The Assembly segment is the same as the jurisdiction of Hunsur taluk.</p>.<p>Interestingly, the first bypoll, held in 1972, was to facilitate the election of then chief minister D Devaraj Urs to become a people’s representative. He was the first chief minister from the old Mysuru region and the bypoll facilitated his continuation.</p>.<p>As the Congress split in 1969, Urs had the responsibility to lead the splinter group — Congress (I) of Indira Gandhi — in the 1972 election in the state. Thus, he had not contested the 1972 general poll. When the Congress (I) won a majority, he was sworn as chief minister. D Kariyappa Gowda, the MLA from Hunsur, resigned to make way for Urs.</p>.<p>The second bypoll also has an Urs connect. It was held due to the resignation of Urs’ daughter Chandraprabha Urs in 1991. Chandraprabha, who won the 1989 poll as a Congress candidate, resigned in 1991 to become MP from Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency. In the bypoll in 1991, S Chikkamadu, also of the Congress, emerged victorious.</p>.<p>The 1998 bypoll was similar to the 1991 bypoll. It was facilitated by the resignation of BJP MLA C H Vijayashankar, to become MP in 1998. It was the debut Assembly poll for G T Devegowda of the Janata Dal, which he won. </p>.<p>The bypoll scheduled for December 5 will see a triangular fight between A H Vishwanath of the BJP, ex-MLA H P Manjunath of the Congress and Devarahalli Somasekhar of the JD(S).</p>.<p>Vishwanath, who was elected as JD(S) MLA, is seeking re-election on a BJP ticket. Interestingly, two-term MLA Manjunath is the son of H N Prem Kumar, who was defeated as Congress candidate in two polls — 1983 and 1998 — the latter being a bypoll.</p>
<p>Hunsur Assembly constituency, which was a stronghold of the Congress up to 1983, is facing its fourth bypoll so far. However, none of them was due to the death of any sitting MLA.</p>.<p>The Hunsur segment has largely remained undisturbed, area-wise, since the first election in 1952, except for one term when it was a dual-member constituency along with HD Kote in the 1957 poll. The Assembly segment is the same as the jurisdiction of Hunsur taluk.</p>.<p>Interestingly, the first bypoll, held in 1972, was to facilitate the election of then chief minister D Devaraj Urs to become a people’s representative. He was the first chief minister from the old Mysuru region and the bypoll facilitated his continuation.</p>.<p>As the Congress split in 1969, Urs had the responsibility to lead the splinter group — Congress (I) of Indira Gandhi — in the 1972 election in the state. Thus, he had not contested the 1972 general poll. When the Congress (I) won a majority, he was sworn as chief minister. D Kariyappa Gowda, the MLA from Hunsur, resigned to make way for Urs.</p>.<p>The second bypoll also has an Urs connect. It was held due to the resignation of Urs’ daughter Chandraprabha Urs in 1991. Chandraprabha, who won the 1989 poll as a Congress candidate, resigned in 1991 to become MP from Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency. In the bypoll in 1991, S Chikkamadu, also of the Congress, emerged victorious.</p>.<p>The 1998 bypoll was similar to the 1991 bypoll. It was facilitated by the resignation of BJP MLA C H Vijayashankar, to become MP in 1998. It was the debut Assembly poll for G T Devegowda of the Janata Dal, which he won. </p>.<p>The bypoll scheduled for December 5 will see a triangular fight between A H Vishwanath of the BJP, ex-MLA H P Manjunath of the Congress and Devarahalli Somasekhar of the JD(S).</p>.<p>Vishwanath, who was elected as JD(S) MLA, is seeking re-election on a BJP ticket. Interestingly, two-term MLA Manjunath is the son of H N Prem Kumar, who was defeated as Congress candidate in two polls — 1983 and 1998 — the latter being a bypoll.</p>
