Cong wins RR Nagar, pushes alliance partner JDS to 3rd spot

In the first electoral testfor the new coalition government in Karnataka, the Congress today gained an upper hand winning the Rajarajeshwari Nagar assembly seat with a margin of over 25,400 votes, pushing its post-poll ally JD(S) to a distant third position behind BJP.

Congress and JDS, which formed the government headed by H D Kumaraswamy of the later, fought against each other in the election, despite being coalition partners, as they failed to come to a consensus on supporting one of their candidates.

According to poll officials, Congress' N Munirathna retained the seat by securing 1,08,064 votes defeating his nearest BJP rival Tulsi Muniraju Gowda who got 82,572 votes in the election held on May 28.

JD(S) candidate G H Ramachandra, who had joined the party after quitting BJP ahead of polls, could secure only 60,360 votes.

Assembly elections across the state was held on May 12, while polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar was deferred by the Election Commission after the voter ID controversy erupted and also on grounds of electoral malpractices.

Ahead of the May 12 elections, nearly 10,000 voter IDcards were seized from an apartment in the constituency.

Munirathna is one of the accused in the case relatedto voter ID cards row. Police have registered a case for alleged election malpractices under relevant sections of the IPC besides for offences under the People's Representation Act against him andothers.

Congratulating Munirathna on his win, Chief Minister Kumaraswamy said the results have further strengthened the JDS-Congress party alliance.

"It's a clear indication thatthe people are for development and are with our government... The verdict also manifests the people's resolution tosupport the plurality and inclusiveness which our state alwayshas stood for," he said in a statement.

With Congress winning Rajarajeshwari Nagar, the Congress-JDS coalition has the support of 118 MLAs in the 224-member House with an effective strength of 222 now.

Kumaraswamy had wonfrom two constituencies while polling in Jayanagar seat has been countermanded in view of the death of the BJP candidate.

While the Congress has 79 MLAs, Kumaraswamy's JD(S) has 36, and BSP 1. The alliance has also claimed the supportof the lone KPJP MLA and an independent.

BJP with 104 seats had emerged as the single largest party in the elections, but its efforts toform the government came to nought on May 19, when Yeddyurappastepped down as chief minister without taking the floor test in the assembly,prompted by inadequate numbers.