<p>Bengaluru: The continuing dominance of the ruling Congress, which has won all six bypolls since coming to power in Karnataka in 2023, has yet again exposed chinks within the BJP’s armour. </p><p>Since 2023, when Congress came to power, the BJP has tasted defeat in five bypolls: Shorapur, Shiggaon, Sandur, Davanagere South, and Bagalkot. The BJP’s ally JD(S) failed to retain the Channapatna seat, which Congress wrested. </p><p>Two-and-a-half years since BY Vijayendra assumed state presidency, the BJP has not yet registered a major electoral victory. Yes, it bagged 17 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but it was still 8 seats less than its 2019 tally of 25.</p><p>The NDA failed to retain Channapatna and Shiggaon, where Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharat Bommai — sons of former chief ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai, respectively — were convincingly defeated by the Congress.</p>.Delay in approaching court doesn't disentitle wife from maintenance: Karnataka High Court.<p>Though rabble rouser Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was expelled from the BJP in March 2025 for his constant tirade against former CM BS Yediyurappa's family, the internal bickering within the BJP hasn't fully died down. The lack of coordination within the BJP has been visible both inside the legislature and outside. </p><p><strong>Bagalkot setback</strong></p><p>BJP will be particularly concerned with the defeat in Bagalkot, where it lost by a significant margin of around 22,332 votes, despite fielding four-time MLA Veeranna Charantimath.</p><p>The BJP, which had lost Bagalkot in the 2023 Assembly polls by a relatively smaller margin of 5,878 votes, was hoping for a comeback. </p><p>However, consolidation of the minority and Kuruba communities behind the Congress, and campaigning by CM Siddaramaiah, DCM DK Shivakumar, and other ministers, is said to have boosted the ruling party’s chances in the last leg of electioneering. Yatnal's campaigning for his "friend" Charanthimath also failed to create any impact.</p><p><strong>Lost chance</strong></p><p>With the Muslims disgruntled that Congress didn't hand over the seat to the community despite its significant numbers (around 80,000), the SDPI candidate garnered 18,975 votes.</p><p>As a result, the Congress's victory margin in Davanagere South significantly reduced from 27,888 to 5,708 votes. However, the BJP was unable to utilise the opportunity and register its first-ever victory in the constituency. </p><p>However, Political Commentator A Narayana saw the verdict as a result of the systemic advantages for the ruling party in bypolls.</p><p>“Historically, ruling parties have more resources and are keen to win the prestige battle. Secondly, the political psychology of voters also prefers a ruling party MLA who has better chances of getting things done.”</p><p>However, Narayana felt this verdict didn’t prove any pro-incumbency in favour of Congress. “It doesn’t seem that the factors that worked for the Congress now will also help them in the 2028 polls.”</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The continuing dominance of the ruling Congress, which has won all six bypolls since coming to power in Karnataka in 2023, has yet again exposed chinks within the BJP’s armour. </p><p>Since 2023, when Congress came to power, the BJP has tasted defeat in five bypolls: Shorapur, Shiggaon, Sandur, Davanagere South, and Bagalkot. The BJP’s ally JD(S) failed to retain the Channapatna seat, which Congress wrested. </p><p>Two-and-a-half years since BY Vijayendra assumed state presidency, the BJP has not yet registered a major electoral victory. Yes, it bagged 17 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, but it was still 8 seats less than its 2019 tally of 25.</p><p>The NDA failed to retain Channapatna and Shiggaon, where Nikhil Kumaraswamy and Bharat Bommai — sons of former chief ministers HD Kumaraswamy and Basavaraj Bommai, respectively — were convincingly defeated by the Congress.</p>.Delay in approaching court doesn't disentitle wife from maintenance: Karnataka High Court.<p>Though rabble rouser Basanagouda Patil Yatnal was expelled from the BJP in March 2025 for his constant tirade against former CM BS Yediyurappa's family, the internal bickering within the BJP hasn't fully died down. The lack of coordination within the BJP has been visible both inside the legislature and outside. </p><p><strong>Bagalkot setback</strong></p><p>BJP will be particularly concerned with the defeat in Bagalkot, where it lost by a significant margin of around 22,332 votes, despite fielding four-time MLA Veeranna Charantimath.</p><p>The BJP, which had lost Bagalkot in the 2023 Assembly polls by a relatively smaller margin of 5,878 votes, was hoping for a comeback. </p><p>However, consolidation of the minority and Kuruba communities behind the Congress, and campaigning by CM Siddaramaiah, DCM DK Shivakumar, and other ministers, is said to have boosted the ruling party’s chances in the last leg of electioneering. Yatnal's campaigning for his "friend" Charanthimath also failed to create any impact.</p><p><strong>Lost chance</strong></p><p>With the Muslims disgruntled that Congress didn't hand over the seat to the community despite its significant numbers (around 80,000), the SDPI candidate garnered 18,975 votes.</p><p>As a result, the Congress's victory margin in Davanagere South significantly reduced from 27,888 to 5,708 votes. However, the BJP was unable to utilise the opportunity and register its first-ever victory in the constituency. </p><p>However, Political Commentator A Narayana saw the verdict as a result of the systemic advantages for the ruling party in bypolls.</p><p>“Historically, ruling parties have more resources and are keen to win the prestige battle. Secondly, the political psychology of voters also prefers a ruling party MLA who has better chances of getting things done.”</p><p>However, Narayana felt this verdict didn’t prove any pro-incumbency in favour of Congress. “It doesn’t seem that the factors that worked for the Congress now will also help them in the 2028 polls.”</p>