Karnataka bypolls 2018 results: Shivaramegowda of JD(S) defeats BJP’s Siddaramaiah in Mandya

LR Shivaramegowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) won against senior BJP leader Siddaramaiah by 3,24,943 votes on Tuesday in Mandya, the parliamentary constituency where a bypoll was held on Saturday.

The JD(S) fielded Shivaramegowda against Siddaramaiah as its lawmaker CS Puttaraju resigned after he was elected to the assembly from the Melkote constituency in Mandya district in the old Mysuru region. Puttaraju is the minister for minor irrigation in the coalition government. 

Mandya saw the lowest voter turnout at 53.93%, down from 71.41% in 2014, in all the parliamentary and assembly seats.

Mandya, at the heart of the Vokkaliga belt of southern Karnataka, was expected to be a cake walk for the ruling Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition, but Congress’ decision to leave the seat for the JD(S) as part of their seat-sharing arrangement, led to dissidence within the party coming in to the open. In these southern districts, the Congress and JD(S) are bitter rivals and the BJP is a minor force.

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