Counting of votes underway for two assembly and four council seats in Karnataka

Counting of votes is underway for the bypolls held to two assembly segments and elections held for four legislative council seats in the state, poll officials said on Tuesday.

Votes polled in the November 3 bypolls to Sira in Tumakuru district and Rajarajeshwari Nagar (R R Nagar) in the city were taken up for counting at 8 am and the results are expected to be out by afternoon.

In the polls held amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Sira and R R Nagar recorded voter turnout of 82.31 per cent and 45.24 per cent respectively.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made for the counting. Also prohibitory and liquor ban orders are in place from 6 am to 12 midnight in the constituencies. The bypoll has been necessitated in Sira following the death of JD(S) MLA B Sathyanarayana in August, while R R Nagar seat here fell vacant due to disqualification of the then Congress MLA N Munirathna last year under the anti-defection law.

BJP that had never won the Sira seat fielded radiologist Dr C M Rajesh Gowda, son of former Congress MP C P Mudalagiriyappa, who had recently joined the party, while the Congress and JD(S), considered traditional rivals in the region, nominated former Minister T B Jayachandra and Ammajamma (wife of late MLA Sathyanarayana) respectively.

Congress candidate for Sira Jayachandra (71) on Monday night said he along with his wife have tested positive for Covid-19 and have been hospitalised.

In R R Nagar, the Congress has fielded a fresh face -- Kusuma H, wife of late IAS officer D K Ravi. She was pitted against V Krishnamurthy of JD(S) and N Munirathna of the BJP. Munirathna, after his disqualification last year, had joined the BJP. The party gave his ticket after he was cleared by the courts of the charges of election malpractices, despite stiff resistance from within.

Stakes are high for the ruling BJP and opposition Congress and JD(S). Though the results will have no bearing on the stability of the B S Yediyurappa government, yet it would be seen in many quarters as a reflection on its performance, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.

While the Congress and JD(S) are keen to strike after facing a rout in December 2019 bypolls, the BJP would be aiming to keep its winning streak intact.

Some exit polls have indicated that BJP will sweep RR Nagar and Sira bypolls, but the opposition parties have rejected the predictions.

Expressing confidence about winning both seats, Yediyurappa has also indicated that the much-awaited expansion of his cabinet will take place at the earliest and he will talk to party high command in this regard, soon after the assembly bypoll results.

Stakes are high for 77-year old Yediyurappa amid intense speculation that BJP high command is mulling leadership change considering his age. It is also equally significant for state Congress President D K Shivakumar and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy to assert their command over the Vokkaliga vote bank.

The community has considerable presence in both seats. Within Congress too, winning both seats will be important for Shivakumar in consolidating his position, as this is the first election under his presidency.

Counting of votes will also be taken up on Tuesday in the Legislative Council biennial elections to two teachers constituencies - Bangalore Teachers and North East Teachers, and two graduates constituencies - Karnataka West Graduates and Karnataka South East Graduates, for which voting took place on October 28. BJP will have to win at least two of the four constituencies to emerge as the single largest party in the Council, the position currently held by Congress.