Karnataka elections: Jagadish Shettar loses Hubli Dharwad central by big margin

Congress leader and former chief minister of Karnataka Jagadish Shettar, a six-term MLA from Hubbali (Hubli)-Central Dharwad, lost the seat by a big margin. Shettar had left the BJP and joined Congress after he was denied a seat by the party national leadership. Hubbali-Central Dharwad is considered to be a stronghold of the BJP.

Shettar polled 60,355 votes as compared to 94,408 for BJP's Mahesh Tenginkai. in 2018 elections, Shettar had won the Hubbali seat by a margin of 21,306 votes.

It may be recalled it was Hubbali where Jan Sangh had scored its first victory in South India when the seat was won by Jagadish Shettar's uncle Sadashiva Shettar in 1968.


Jagadish Shettar is a top leaders of the Lingayat community from North Karnataka. Shettar is a former Chief Minister of Karnataka and six-term MLA from Hubbali-Central Dharwad constituency.

Jagadish Shettar's father Shivappa Shettar was the Mayor of Hubbali was the first Mayor for the Jana Sangh in South India.

Ahead of the results, Shettar had said: " There is an undercurrent. People from all castes, everybody is working and voting for me. Congress and Jagadish Shettar will get elected with a huge margin."

These assembly elections are a critical test for the ruling BJP that's hoping to beat precedent and return to power as well as for the Congress looking for electoral revival.

Ahead of the results, the BJP candidate from Hubbali, Mahesh Tenginkai, told IANS, "The BJP will win the seat by a huge margin. It is the party which matters and not individuals, and the BJP has a strong base in this constituency. The development programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi have given the people a clear choice in the elections."

In the Athani constituency in Belagavi district, former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Laxman Savudi is leading. Savudi had quit the BJP and joined the Congress after the saffron party denied him a seat.