Cong makes gains in local body elections

Bengaluru The Congress on Friday made significant gains in the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections held across several districts in Karnataka that has bolstered the party’s confidence ahead of the results of three bypolls on Sunday

Bengaluru

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The Congress on Friday made significant gains in the Urban Local Body (ULB) elections held across several districts in Karnataka that has bolstered the party’s confidence ahead of the results of three bypolls on Sunday.

According to the state election commission, of the 265 wards in 10 ULBs that went to polls, the Congress won 121, claiming six ULBs. The Janata Dal (Secular) or JD(S) got control of two ULBs after winning 66 wards in total. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) managed to win 57 wards in total and control of only one ULB. The results in Bidar appeared to be heading towards a hung verdict.

The results come as an embarrassment to the ruling party in the state, BJP, which has spent the better portion of the last two years in office trying to douse one crisis after another, including dissent within its own ranks, sex-scandal involving a former cabinet minister, shortage of funds and alleged mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, which continues to tighten its grip on the state and its capital, Bengaluru.

“The people of the state have started to put their confidence in us,” DK Shivakumar, president of Karnataka Congress, said on Friday.

“Congress has won 7 out of the 10 Urban Local Bodies that went to polls. BJP has won only 1. I thank the people of Karnataka for placing their confidence in the Congress Party & punishing the BJP for its misrule. Overall, Congress won 119 seats, while BJP won just 56 & JD(S) 67,” Shivakumar said in a twitter post on Friday.

Senior Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah said the results showed that the BJP has lost the confidence of the people and the government “continues to toy with lives even during the pandemic”. He added that the people have taught the BJP a lesson through these elections.

The poor result in these polls adds to the challenges of the BJP under the leadership of BS Yediyurappa, and is likely to add to his troubles, including calls for his ouster. The BJP could win just one ULB in Madikeri of Kodagu district, while it has to face embarrassment even in two ULBs in Yediyurappa’s home district of Shivamogga. The party lost both Thirthahalli and Bhadravati ULBs in Shivamogga district. In Thirthahalli, the Congress won nine out of 15 wards while the BJP could win only six. Likewise, in Bhadravathi, the Congress won 18 out of the 34 wards while the BJP managed just four and the JD(S) won 11.

Meanwhile, the BJP tried to downplay the loss in the ULB.

“We lost some crucial seats in Ballari, Bhadravathi, Beluru and Bidar…,” Ravi Kumar, member of the Karnataka Legislative Council and State General Secretary of the BJP said. He added that the party’s attention to these ULBs might have come down. Kumar, however, added that results of ULB polls will have no impact on the outcome of the three bypolls on Sunday.

The results of Belagavi parliamentary seat, Basvakalyan and Maski assembly seats will be announced on Sunday.