Bengaluru, 11 Nov

The high-decibel electioneering came to an end on Monday evening in Shiggaon, Sandur, and Channapatna, as blaring loudspeakers fell silent, marking the close of public campaigning for the Assembly by-polls scheduled for 13 November.

According to the Election Commission, there are eight candidates in the fray in Shiggaon, 31 in Channapatna, and six in Sandur.

BJP has fielded former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s son, Bharath Bommai, from Shiggaon. He will face Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan.

In Sandur, BJP has nominated Bangaru Hanumantha, who will contest against Congress's E Annapurna. In Channapatna, BJP ally JD(S) has fielded Nikhil Kumaraswamy, the third generation of the party’s first family. He will face Congress heavyweight CP Yogeeshwara.

These bypolls were necessitated after E Tukaram (Sandur), Basavaraj Bommai (Shiggaon), and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy (Channapatna) resigned from the Assembly after winning Lok Sabha election.

On the final day of campaigning, candidates, political heavyweights, and party workers made a last-ditch effort to woo voters, with rallies, public addresses, and roadshows. Door-to-door campaigns began in the evening.

The current strength of the ruling Congress in the 224-member Karnataka Assembly stands at 133, minus the Speaker. BJP and its ally JD(S) have 65 and 18 seats, respectively. There are two independent MLAs one each from regional parties.

These elections are seen as a referendum on the Congress government, which has been in power for over a year and a half in Karnataka.

The bypolls come at a time when Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is being probed by the Lokayukta for his involvement in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority site allotment scam. Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi B M, and brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy are also accused in the case. —PTI