<p>The bypoll results on Monday brought three landmark victories for BJP as the party saw its first victory in K R Pet, Chikballapur and Gokak Assembly constituencies, all steered by rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs earlier. </p>.<p>The victory of K C Narayana Gowda in K R Pet in Mandya district is especially significant as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s native village Bookanakere is in K R Pet taluk. With this victory, the BJP has entered the JD(S) bastion.</p>.<p>The Vokkaliga-dominated region has traditionally voted either for Congress or the regional party. In the 2018 Assembly elections, Narayana Gowda, who was then a JD(S) leader, had won from K R Pet with a share of 50% votes, whereas the BJP could not get more than 6% votes. Then, the JD(S) had also swept Mandya district by winning all eight Assembly constituencies, which was seen as the result of the consolidation of the Vokkaliga votes. </p>.<p>Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who was in charge of the K R Pet constituency, said that the victory has ensured representation for Mandya district in the state government.</p>.<p>In another first, the BJP has won Chikballapur. The party’s candidate, Dr K Sudhakar, a disqualified Congress MLA, secured 84,389 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Anjanappa who secured 49,588 votes. The BJP had a negligible vote share in the constituency for the last 63 years. Last year, the vote share was just 3.21%. Then, Sudhakar, who was with Congress, had won with a vote share of 47.27%.</p>.<p>The Chikballapur victory comes as reassurance for Sudhakar at an individual level too. Despite shifting camps, he was able to retain his support base.</p>.<p>With the victory Ramesh Jarkiholi in Gokak constituency in Belagavi district, the BJP has further strengthened its grip over the district. The Jarkiholi brothers - Ramesh and Lakhan - contested against each other from BJP and Congress respectively.</p>.<p>Belagavi district has eight Assembly constituencies, including Belagavi Uttar, Dakshin, Rural, Arabhavi, Bailhongal, Saundatti Yellamma and Ramdurg. With Ramesh Jarkhiholi’s victory, the BJP has control over all constituencies except Belagavi Rural and Bailhongal represented by Congress MLAs Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Mahantesh Koujalgi respectively. However, the result itself was not a surprise as the region has been a stronghold of the sugar barons, the Jarkiholi family, for several years now.</p>
<p>The bypoll results on Monday brought three landmark victories for BJP as the party saw its first victory in K R Pet, Chikballapur and Gokak Assembly constituencies, all steered by rebel Congress and JD(S) MLAs earlier. </p>.<p>The victory of K C Narayana Gowda in K R Pet in Mandya district is especially significant as Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa’s native village Bookanakere is in K R Pet taluk. With this victory, the BJP has entered the JD(S) bastion.</p>.<p>The Vokkaliga-dominated region has traditionally voted either for Congress or the regional party. In the 2018 Assembly elections, Narayana Gowda, who was then a JD(S) leader, had won from K R Pet with a share of 50% votes, whereas the BJP could not get more than 6% votes. Then, the JD(S) had also swept Mandya district by winning all eight Assembly constituencies, which was seen as the result of the consolidation of the Vokkaliga votes. </p>.<p>Speaking to reporters, Deputy Chief Minister Dr C N Ashwath Narayan, who was in charge of the K R Pet constituency, said that the victory has ensured representation for Mandya district in the state government.</p>.<p>In another first, the BJP has won Chikballapur. The party’s candidate, Dr K Sudhakar, a disqualified Congress MLA, secured 84,389 votes against his nearest rival and Congress candidate Anjanappa who secured 49,588 votes. The BJP had a negligible vote share in the constituency for the last 63 years. Last year, the vote share was just 3.21%. Then, Sudhakar, who was with Congress, had won with a vote share of 47.27%.</p>.<p>The Chikballapur victory comes as reassurance for Sudhakar at an individual level too. Despite shifting camps, he was able to retain his support base.</p>.<p>With the victory Ramesh Jarkiholi in Gokak constituency in Belagavi district, the BJP has further strengthened its grip over the district. The Jarkiholi brothers - Ramesh and Lakhan - contested against each other from BJP and Congress respectively.</p>.<p>Belagavi district has eight Assembly constituencies, including Belagavi Uttar, Dakshin, Rural, Arabhavi, Bailhongal, Saundatti Yellamma and Ramdurg. With Ramesh Jarkhiholi’s victory, the BJP has control over all constituencies except Belagavi Rural and Bailhongal represented by Congress MLAs Lakshmi Hebbalkar and Mahantesh Koujalgi respectively. However, the result itself was not a surprise as the region has been a stronghold of the sugar barons, the Jarkiholi family, for several years now.</p>
