Karnataka Bypolls

Stalwarts like Deve Gowda, veteran Congress leaders like Kharge, K H Muniyappa and Veerappa Moily tasted defeat

Crucially, for Yediyurappa, the victories appear to reiterate his continued dominance in the party's state unit, freeing him from the central leadership's hold

Noting the need for reforming the system, Yediyurappa apprised officials of complaints that taluk level officials were not performing their duties well.

After changing the spelling of his name, the BJP under his leadership has won 12 out 15 seats in the bypolls

Modi called the by-polls in Karnataka "extraordinary", one which would decide whether the BJP government would stay or go.

The contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill will be introduced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Lok Sabha

Karnataka bypolls: While JD(S) has fielded candidates in 12 seats, BJP and Congress are contesting all the 15 seats

Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who was released on Wednesday evening from the Tihar jail, will address the media at the Congress headquarters in Delhi today

Including the Chief Minister, currently there are 18 ministers in the cabinet, whose sanctioned strength is 34.

Yediyurappa said he was not bothered about the possibilities of the Congress and JD(S) coming together again to form the government

The upshot is that in half-a-dozen seats or more, the BJP's old-timers-turned-dissidents have filed nominations against the party's official candidates

More than 13 disqualified former MLAs are contesting on BJP ticket in 15 Assembly constituencies

However, according to sources some senior party leaders expressed displeasure about not everyone being taken into confidence on selection of candidates.

The former prime minister said JD(S) would contest the bypolls to fill 15 vacancies in Karnataka Assembly alone and 'certainly maintain equidistance' from the Congress and the BJP

The counting will take place on December 9

The poll panel had last week announced bypolls to 15 Assembly seats in Karnataka and had said that voting would be held on October 21 and counting of votes on October 24

The lawyers appearing for the disqualified MLAs, Congress leader Siddaramaiah and other respondents said, they have no objection if the by-polls are deferred

The JD(S) will be contesting the Mandya and Shivamogga Lok Sabha seats and the Ramanagara assembly constituency, while the Congress has put up candidates in the Bellary Lok Sabha seat and Jamakhandi a