The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the State saw a dozen of outgoing Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s cabinet members face losses in the election, as anti-incumbency and corruption charges hit the party hard.
BJP stalwarts, most of them who have had easy victories in their constituencies in the past, lost this time. V Somanna lost in both Varuna and Chamrajnagara constituencies he had contested from. Congress leaders Siddaramaiah and Puttarangashetty handed him the loss, respectively.
Slideshow | Karnataka Election results 2023
R Ashoka, too, contested from two seats — Padmanabhanagara and Kanakpura — and managed to win only Padmanabhanagara. The other ministers who were defeated include K Sudhakar from Chickaballapur, B Sriramulu from Bellary, Murugesh Nirani from Bilgi, BC Patil from Hirekerur, Shankar Patil from Navalgund, Madhuswamy from Chikknayakanahalli, MTB Nagaraj from Hoskote, Govinda Karjol from Mudhol, BC Nagesh from Tiptur, and KC Narayangowda from KR Pete.
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To be sure, not just BJP, the regional party Janata Dal (Secular) and Congress, too, have faced some big losses. For instance, HD Devegowda’s grandson Nikhil Kumaraswamy lost in his family bastion Ramnagara. BJP turncoat Jagadish Shettar, too, lost on a Congress ticket in the Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency.
The winners
However, some cabinet members won as well. Basavaraj Bommai himself won in his home turf Shiggaon by a huge margin. Other leaders who won include Araga Janendra from Teerthahalli, CC Patil from Gadag, Prabhu Chauhan from Aurad, Sashikala Jolle from Nippani, Munirathna from Rajrajeshwari Nagara and Byrati Basavraj from KR Puram among others.