Jolts to BJP, Cong in Karnataka

BANGALORE: BJP and Congress suffered big blows in Karnataka on Friday when state minister V Somanna and Union labour minister Mallikarjun Kharge���s son Priyank lost assembly by-polls.

Somanna was elected to the assembly on a Congress ticket in May 2008 assembly polls but quit the seat to join BJP ahead of Lok Sabha election. He was rewarded with a ministership.

The BJP, however, put the Congress on the defensive when its candidate Valmiki Naik defeated Kharge���s son Priyank, contesting an election for the first time in Chittapur (SC) constituency. Mr Kharge had vacated the Chittapur seat on his election to the Lok Sabha. Union ministers S M Krishna and Veerappa Moily had extensively campaigned in the election.

BJP also had the consolation of wresting Kollegal from Congress. Its candidate GN Nanjundaswamy defeated S Jayanna of Congress by a margin of 8,267 votes. The loss of Kollegal is a setback to Congress leader Siddaramaiah. Kollegal is in Chamarajnagar district, considered to be Siddaramaiah���s pocketboroughs.

JD(S) retained its stronghold Ramanagara with its candidate K Raju defeating CM Lingappa of Congress by 22,019 votes. Of the five seats, the Congress had held four and the JD(S) one. Congress has conceded two seats to BJP and one to JD(S).