Karnataka bypolls: Counting begins, BJP leads in RR Nagar, Shira
As the counting for the assembly seats in Karnataka has begun, BJP candidates N Munirathna and Rajesh Gowda are leading respectively in RR Nagar and Shira assembly seats.
FollowBengaluru: The BJP has taken an initial lead in both RR Nagar and Shira as counting begins in the assembly seats with postal ballots.
The assembly bypolls were held on November 3, while Council elections were held on October 28. The RR Nagar assembly seat falls in southwest Bengaluru, while the Shira assembly seat is in Tumkur district.
Currently BJP candidates N Munirathna and Rajesh Gowda are leading respectively in RR Nagar and Shira assembly seats as counting of votes begins with postal ballots.
A record 82.31 percent voting was registered in Shira, while it was only 45.24 percent in RR Nagar. Around 6.76-lakh voters were eligible to vote in the twin by-elections. In RR Nagar, only 45.24 per cent of the 4.6-lakh voters exercised their franchise, while in Shira, a whopping 82.31 per cent of the 2.15-lakh voters cast their ballot.
The Sira assembly bypoll was necessitated by the death of sitting JD(S) legislator B Satyanarayana at a private hospital on August 5 after prolonged illness. The JD(S) fielded Satyanarayana's widow Ammajamma as its candidate, while Rajesh Gowda is the ruling BJP's nominee in the triangular contest.
The RR Nagar assembly by-election was necessitated by the resignation of N Munirathna in July 2019, who is the BJP's candidate after he defected from the Congress in November 2019. The Congress fielded H Kusuma, widow of former IAS officer DK Ravi, and JD(S) fielded V Krishna Murthy.
