Bypoll results will not have any bearing on government, says Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday said the bypoll election results have no connection with the general election in 2023 and would not have any bearing on the State government. In the October 30 bypolls to two Assembly constituencies counting for which was held on Tuesday, BJP's Ramesh Bhusanur won the Sindgi seat while in Hangal, which is in Chief Minister's home district of Haveri, Congress candidate Srinivas Mane won by defeating BJP's Shivaraj Sajjanar.

Replying to a query on Congress's statement that this result would prove to be an indicator to the 2023 general Assembly elections, the Chief Minister said the opposition has to say like that.

He said the Congress too had lost many bypolls in the past.


"The fact is that the Congress also had lost many bypolls. However, the bypoll results have no connection with the general election. It will not have any bearing on the government," Bommai said.

He sought to know why the Congress leaders were not talking about Sindgi.

"What do they (Congress leaders) have to say about Sindgi where they lost with a margin of 38,000 votes?" Bommai asked.

Stating that various factors are responsible for election results, Bommai said comparing the bypoll results with the State-level election is inappropriate.

He added that the Congress leaders themselves had said the results would not be an indicator of the general elections but now they were saying otherwise.

According to him, it was normal that the BJP lost at one place and won at another place.

"I take victory and defeat equally. I greet our party leaders and workers for our victory in Sindagi. We are introspecting the reason behind our defeat in Hangal," Bommai said.

He reiterated that the BJP would review the reasons behind the defeat in Hangal and rectify the mistakes in the coming days. To a query on his government completing 100 days soon, he said the duration is too short to make big achievements.

He, however, said his government would inform people about the aims, objectives and major decisions taken for public good.