The Congress today won the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly seat in the city by a margin of over 25,400 votes. This is the first election after the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy came to power. Congress and JD(S) had fought against each other, despite being coalition partners. JD(S) was left third in the race.

According to poll officials, Congress’ N Munirathna secured 1,08,064 votes, against his nearest BJP rival Tulsi Muniraju Gowda’s 82,572 votes. While JD(S) candidate G H Ramachandra, who joined the party, after quitting BJP ahead of the polls, came a distant third by securing 60,360 votes. Muniratna has retained the seat.

While assembly elections across the state were held on May 12, polling in Rajarajeshwari Nagar was conducted on May 28, as the Election Commission had deferred polling there following the voter ID controversy and various other irregularities. A major row erupted over electoral malpractices and seizure of nearly 10,000 voter ID cards from an apartment in the constituency, ahead of May 12 elections.

Fourteen candidates were in the fray in Rajarajeshwari Nagar polls, including incumbent MLA in the dissolved assembly, Muniratna. While BJP has fielded Tulsi Muniraju Gowda, JD(S) candidate is GH Ramachandra, who had joined the party ahead of polls, quitting BJP. Muniratna is one of the accused in the case related to voter ID cards that were found in an apartment.

Police has registered a case of election related malpractices under relevant sections of the IPC besides offences under the People’s Representation Act against him and others.

Rajarajeshwari Nagar became the first constituency to go for polls after Congress-JD(S) coalition government came to power in the state. In this election, both parties fought against each other as they failed to reach consensus regarding supporting one coalition candidate.

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