Ex-Speaker Horatti, ex-minister Hukkeri win K'taka MLC elections

Bengaluru, June 15 (IANS) The MLC elections from four teachers' and graduates' constituencies threw up mixed results for Karnataka's ruling BJP, as it won only the West Teachers' constituency while the opposition Congress bagged the North-West Teachers' constituency.The results of South and North-West Graduates' constituencies are yet to be announced as counting is underway. Congress leader and former minister Prakash Hukkeri defeated young BJP leader Arun Shahapur, who was aspiring to register a third consecutive win, in the North-West Teachers' Constituency The result is a setback for the BJP which had ridiculed the age and educational qualifications of Hukkeri, and comes in a region considered its strong bastion. Among 33 constituencies, BJP has 22 MLAs. Former Speaker Basavaraj Horatti has registered his 8th consecutive win from the West Teachers constituency. It was a do or die situation for Horatti who had joined the BJP from the JD-S recently.In South Graduates' constituency. Madhu G Madegowda of Congress is leading ahead of former MLC M.V. Ravishankar of the BJP and H.K. Ramu of the JD-S.North-West Graduates' constituency is seeing a direct faceoff between BJP' Nirani Hanumant Rudrappa and Congress' Sunil Annappa Sanak.The BJP, buoyed by winning 3 seats in Rajya Sabha elections, is upbeat about performance in these elections to the upper house of the state legislature. A total of 2.84 lakh voters formed the electoral college for these polls and voting was held across 607 polling stations.North-West Graduates constituency saw 50 per cent polling, South Graduates 70 per cent, North-West Teachers 80 per cent and West Teachers constituency saw a turnout of 84 per cent, according to the statistics provided by the Election Commission. While the BJP and Congress contested all seats, while the JD-S did not contest in North-West Graduates constituency.The results are decisive for the BJP to hold the majority in the 75-member Legislative Council. Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had involved himself in extensive campaign exercises for BJP candidates. Ruling BJP held 2 and JD-S held 2 seats earlier. The elections are also seen as run up to the upcoming Assembly elections.
--IANS mka/vd

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