JOIN USIn reality, it was an acid test to Karadi Sanganna, the BJP candidate. Sanganna, previously elected from the JD(S), had resigned from the Legislative Assembly and joined the BJP under ‘Operation Lotus,’ paving the way for the by-election.
It was a make or break election him as he had to prove his political strength all over again in a new party.
It may be recalled that Sanganna gained his maiden entry into the Legislative Assembly in 1994, when he contested as an Independent candidate. He won the 1999 Assembly elections on a JD(S) ticket. But in 2004, when he contested on a BJP ticket, he was defeated. In 2008 elections, Sanganna was again elected from the JD(S) ticket. But on March 3, this year, he resigned from the Assembly and joined the BJP.
For the BJP the election was a milestone as it was yet to open its account in Koppal. The party has been contesting the elections since 1972, but was yet to taste victory here.
Given the poor record of BJP candidates here, Sanganna faced a tough challenge.
Congress candidate K Basavaraj Hitnal had won the 2004 elections against Sanganna and in this election too, Hitnal posed a tough challenge.