BJP win in Karnataka?
Loss of face for Congress and JD(S)?
By R Guru Prasad?
The BJP in Karnataka is on a winning spree and witnessed yet another landmark victory on September 29. The BJP recorded its first ever win from the Koppal Assembly Constituency when the BJP candidate Karadi Sanganna won the by-election seat from here with a huge margin . While the victory brought a smile on the face of the new Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda, both Congress and JD(S) suffered a major set back. In a big disappointment JD(S) which was representing this seat was pushed to 3rd place and Congress had to settle for the second position in a do-or-die fight . Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly S.Siddaramaiah was testing the waters in the bypoll for his plan to contest the next Lok Sabha polls from the Koppal seat.
Karadi Sanganna had won here in 1994 as an Independent candidate , in 1999 on a JD(United) ticket and in 2008 on JD(S) ticket. His recent resignation necessitated a By-poll and he contested on BJP ticket and he got reelected . He polled 60435 votes against K.Basavaraj Hitnal of Congress who polled 47917 votes. Pradeep Gowda Mali Patil of JD(S) got only 20719 votes. In fact the BJP candidate has increased his winning margin to 12488 votes this time from 10345 votes during the last elections, indicates that people of Karnataka are always support BJP and rejected Congress and JD(S). Including the Koppal seat BJP has won 18 by-elections in the state over the last three years.
Reacting to the victory B.S.Yeddyurappa, former Chief Minister who had put his total efforts in winning this seat said that voter’s have given the votes to BJP after seeing the development works he started when he was the CM. He further said that winning Koppal seat is the indication for the coming general elections where BJP will sweep the elections and come to power again with a clear majority. The followers of Yeddyurappa attributed the victory as the personal victory of Yeddyurappa, while State BJP Unit President K.S. Eshwarappa said the credit goes to the entire party.
