Congress, JD(S) ‘Cement’ Coalition with 4-1 Bypoll Win,

Victory Margin Shocks BJP

Bengalauru: The 4-1 win for the ruling Congress–JD(S) combine in Karnataka on Tuesday, 6^th November 2018, is expected to change the political arithmetic in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The “hand” and “woman with haystack” together have handed a humiliating defeat to the BJP in two Lok Sabha and two Assembly seats. The BJP managed to retain Shimoga Lok Sabha seat by a small margin, thus saving its face.

The victory margin of the Congress in Bellary Lok Sabha seat and Jhamkhandi Assembly seat has shocked the BJP. Till the last moment the BJP was hoping for a win in at least one of the two seats.

In Bellary, V S Ugrappa romped home by over two lakh votes and in Jhamkhandi, Anand Nyamagouda registered an impressive win by a margin of over 39,000 votes. These two seats are in the BJP stronghold of north Karnataka and its core voters Lingayats are in a large number in both the seats.

Even in state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa’s fiefdom Shimoga, his son B Y Raghavendra managed to win by a small margin defeating JD(S)’s Madhu Bangarappa. In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Yeddyurappa had won from Shimoga by over 3.5 lakh votes. The results have already set off alarm bells in the state BJP.

Shocked by party’s dismal performance Yeddyurappa made no official statement till afternoon. His son’s win after a lot of struggle by about 60,000 votes in Shimoga has also upset him, say close aides of the former CM .

Immediately after the results, senior BJP leader and MLA S Suresh Kumar called for an introspection triggering a mild tremor in the saffron camp. Some state leaders are demanding that a complete overhauling of the current set-up is need of the hour.

The jubilant leaders of the JD(S) and the Congress have termed the victory as beginning of the end of BJP in Karnataka. Speaking to News18, JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said that he was grateful to the people for their faith in the coalition government. “The BJP should realise that the people are angry with their jumlas. The so-called development is a mirage. The BJP tried its best to topple our government. They are still trying. Hope, they understand that the people have rejected them and sit in the opposition”.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah, who led the Congress’ campaign in all five constituencies, termed the win as a Deepavali gift. “The Congress will bounce back in Karnataka. In the coming Lok Sabha elections in 2019, we in alliance with JD(S) will win at least 20–22 seats. The voters have rejected the BJP,” he said.

KPCC president Dinesh Gundurao said that the victory was decisive. “It is not a small win for us. It is a decisive win. The BJP has been decimated in Old Mysore region. We have won Bellary and Jhamkhandi by a huge margin. We have lost Shimoga by a small margin. It is a warning to BJP.”

The JD(S)’s win in Gowda strongholds Mandya and Ramanagara was a foregone conclusion. Because the BJP is still a minor player in Old Mysore region and the two dominant players – the JD(S) and the Congress came together causing revolt in Congress camps.