Karnataka by-election results: Diwali for Cong-JD(S) as they win 4/5 seats

Karnataka bypolls: In a Diwali gift ahead of 2019 general elections, the JD-S-Congress coalition on Tuesday worsted BJP 4-1 in the bye elections in Karnataka winning two Lok Sabha and two Assembly constituencies, while conceding the Shimoga parliamentary seat to the saffron party.

It was a resounding victory for the ruling coalition in just six months after the assembly elections which had returned a hung verdict forcing the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular to come together to form a coalition government.

Hailing the victory, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy called for opposition parties to unite under the leadership of Congress President Rahul Gandhi to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year's Lok Sabha elections as people were looking for an alternative.

While the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) and the Congress won the Mandya and Bellary Lok Sabha seats, they also bagged the Ramnagaram and Jamkhandi Assembly seats.

The Congress scored a major victory wresting the Bharatiya Janata Party citadel in Bellary (reserved) Lok Sabha seat, when its candidate V.S. Ugrappa defeated BJP's J. Shantha by a margin of 2,43,161 votes. Ugrappa polled 6,28,365 votes against 3,85,204 secured by Shantha, sister of BJP leader B. Sriramulu, a close associate of controversial Reddy brothers.

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"BJP is offering around Rs 250-300 million to some Congress and JD(S) MLAs but they will never be able to poach them," said Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

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Congress-JD(S) alliance wins 4 out of 5 seats in Karnataka by-elections 2018, wins Bellary, Mandya, Ramanagaram and Jamkhandi. BJP wins Shimoga Lok Sabha seat.

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Congress' VS Ugruppa wins Bellary parliamentary seat with a margin of 2,43,161 votes.

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Congress' VS Ugruppa wins Bellary parliamentary seat with a margin of 2,43,161 votes.

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Cong-JD(S) blow to BJP in Karnataka bypolls, saffron party set

In an emphatic endorsement of Karnataka's ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition by the voters, its candidates Tuesday won both the assemblyconstituencies and are set to clinch two of the three Lok Sabha seats in the bitterly fought by-polls held on Saturday, officials said.

 

The byelections came as a major setback for the main opposition BJP ahead of the 2019 elections with the party set to lose the Ballari Lok Sabha seat, considered a stronghold of the controversial mining barons--the Reddy brothers.

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I never said do or don't celebrate Tipu Jayanti. All I had said was there are many communities in the country, people want to celebrate Jayantis of their leaders. If they (BJP) don't like to be part of the celebrations, there is no need to participate: Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy

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JD(S)' LR Shivaramegowda wins Mandya parliamentary seat with a margin of 324,943 votes.

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JD(S)' LR Shivaramegowda wins Mandya parliamentary seat with a margin of 324,943 votes.

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This elections was the first step. There are 28 LS seats, we'll work with Congress to win all of them, that is our goal.This is not an empty boast just because we have won today. This is the confidence of people in us. This win is not making us arrogant: JD(S) leader and Karnataka CM.

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I congratulate Congress leaders in the state and at the Centre. I also congratulate JD(S) state leaders and workers who worked towards this win. BJP calls JD(S)-Congress coalition 'Apavitra Maitri', today that contention has been nullified: JD(S) leader and Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

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BJP's BY Raghavendra wins Shimoga parliamentary seat with a margin of 52,148 votes.