Karnataka bypolls: Outcome crucial for both Cong, Oppn

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The counting of votes for the high stake by-polls to three Assembly segments in Karnataka, which witnessed a fierce fight between the ruling Congress and a combative BJP-JD(S) alliance, will take place on Saturday. By-election to Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna Assembly segments were held on November 13 and the outcome is crucial for either camps. A Congress show will be seen as an endorsement of both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy DK Shivakumar while BJP's good show would mean the silencing of its state president BY Vijayendra's critics within the saffron organisation fold. For JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy, it will be a battle of prestige as his son Nikhil is testing his electoral fortunes from Channapatna after tasting defeats in earlier contests.

Kumaraswamy had vacated the seat after being elected to the Lok Sabha in this year's elections. The counting of votes will begin at 8 am in three centres (one each in three segments) and poll officials expect a clear picture about the outcome to emerge by mid-day. Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the three Assembly constituencies, especially in and around the counting centres, to avoid any untoward incidents, official sources said. The by-polls to Sandur, Shiggaon and Channapatna were necessitated as the seats fell vacant following the election of their respective representatives -- E Tukaram of Congress, former CM Basavaraj Bommai of BJP, and Union Minister Kumaraswamy to Lok Sabha in May elections. Channapatna saw the higest number of 31 candidares, followed by Shiggaon (8) and Sandur (6). While Channapatna had recorded a voter turnout of 88.81 per cent, it was 80.72 per cent and 76.24 per cent, respectively in Shiggaon and Sandur, respectively.

The by-polls witnessed a straight fight between the ruling Congress and BJP in Sandur and Shiggaon segments, while in Channapatna, JD(S) which is part of the NDA alliance took on the grand old party. Among the three segments, Channapatna was considered to be a "high profile" battle, where the contest was between C P Yogeeshwara and actorturned- politician Nikhil Kumaraswamy. A five-time MLA from the segment and a former Minister, Yogeeshwara joined the Congress after quitting BJP ahead of the nomination.