J P Hegde of Congress Wins Udupi-Chikmagalur Bypoll

Bellevision Media Network

Udupi, 21 March 2012: Congress finally got a chance to celebrate. After the trail of corruption allegations faced by the leaders and ministers of ruling BJP government in Karnataka, people in Ududpi and Chikamagalur elected Congress.

 

Congress won the by-poll election with 3,98,723 votes while BJP and JDS managed to get only 3,52,999 and 70,206 votes respectively. However, it was a tough fight between Congress and BJP.

 

About 66 per cent of 12.53 lakh electorate had cast their votes. It was a prestigious battle for BJP, particularly Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda, who had vacated the seat upon his elevation as chief minister.

 

This was the second bypoll being held in the state after Gowda assumed office. BJP was mauled in the by-election to Bellary Rural Assembly seat in 2011, which was won by independent B Sreeramulu, who was not long ago a key leader of the ruling party before falling out with it.