Hassan/Challakere/Yellapura: Wresting control of its stronghold Hassan from the ruling BJP, JD(S) candidate Swaroop Prakash has defeated sitting BJP MLA Preetham J Gowda by a margin of 7,854 votes.
Congress has retained the Challakere (ST) constituency while Yellapur constituency, a Congress stronghold since 2013 has been won by the BJP. The election results are yet to be officially declared by the commission.
The Hassan constituency had come to the limelight following dispute within the family of former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda as his daughter-in-law Bhavani Revanna, wife of former minister and Holenarasipur MLA HD Revanna was an aspirant for ticket from this seat. However, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy had raised doubt over Revanna winning the seat, following which ticket was given to Swaroop, son of former four-time Hassan MLA HS Prakash.
After HP Swaroop's candidature was finalised, the entire family took out roadshows, campaigning for him extensively. HD Deve Gowda himself visited Hassan twice to seek votes for the JD(S) candidate. This apart, Lok Sabha member of Hassan Prajwal Revannna and MLC Suraj Revanna had also campaigned for Swaroop.
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In Challakere (ST) constituency, sitting MLA of Congress T Raghumurthy has yet again retained the seat by defeating JD(S) candidate Ravish Kumar. Raghumurthy has won by a margin of 16,450 votes. Raghunurthy has won the seat in the last to elections in 2018 and 2013. Likewise 2018, JD(S) has again remained in the second position. In 2013, KJP candidate KT Kumaraswamy was in the second position.
Similarly, Yellapur constituency, which is considered to be a Congress stronghold since 2013 has been won by the BJP. Its candidate Arabail Hebbar Shivaram has won Yellapur seat by defeating VS Patil of Congress by a margin of 4,004 votes. Arabail Hebbar Shivaram had won this seat twice in 2018 and 2013 as a Congress candidate. He joined the BJP in 2019 and contested with saffron party ticket this time.
