While the initial trends had NDA candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy leading by a slender margin, Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar was leading by a margin of about 11,000 votes by around 10 a.m. after eight rounds of counting.

Belying expectation of a “photo finish” to an hard-fought battle, Congress candidate C.P. Yogeshwar defeated NDA candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy in Channapatna bypoll to wrest the seat from Janata Dal (Secular) for the Congress by a margin of over 26,000 votes. With the loss, JD (S) now has lost all assembly constituencies in Ramanagar district, one of its strongholds in the Vokkaliga heart land.

Days before the result, Mr. Yogeshwar had himself indicated that the controversial “Kaalia” statement by Housing Minister B.Z. Zameer Ahmed Khan while talkign about Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy could affect his chances. The election had been fought on the contribution of leaders and claims of bringing water to this once water parched region amidst a high voter turnout and claims of money being splurged on the eve of the election by both sides.

In what was billed as a mega fight among the three assembly constituencies that went for by polls in Karnataka, Channapatna had witnessed high decible battle with the entire JD (S) machinery to work for the victory of Mr. Nikhil, who is now unlucky in his third outing too. The first family of JD (S), with Mr. Nikhil’s grandfather and JD (S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda too involved in campaign, had been making emotional appeals, saying that he had lost previous two times owing to “Chakravyuha” laid by the opposition.

The Congress led by KPCC President and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who had taken it as a personal battle, led the party’s charge in what was being seen as the jostling for Vokkaliga leadership role.Thanking the voters for reposing faith in him, Mr. Yogeshwar, who joined Congress days before the poll, said that people voted for development. He blamed the conspiracy of BJP state President B.Y. Vijayendra for his exit from BJP. Mr. Yogeshwar also accused that it was the greed of Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy that led to the situation. He also suggested that Mr. Gowda, who has a huge following among the Vokkaliga community, should exit from the election scene. He also said that the nonagenarian leader campaigned for his grandson with “selfish motives.”

While Mr. Nikhil led the first few rounds by a slender margin, Mr. Yogeshwar took lead as the ballot boxes from Channapatna town were opened, and his lead only increased after each round. Mr. Yogeshwar and Mr. Nikhil – both actor-turned-politicians- had lost two previous elections. Mr. Yogeshwar had lost to Mr. Nikhil’s father and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy in 2018 and 2013 in Channapatna assembly constituency, and Mr. Nikhil had lost in Mandya parliamentary polls in 2019 and Ramanagar assembly poll on 2023.Heavy bettingThe election that had raised high level of curiosity and the region had witnessed heavy betting on the results, saw huge gathering in front of the Government Engineering College on the outskirts of Ramanagar town where counting was underway. The initial euphoria for JD S workers died down soon as boisterous Congress workers took over the scene with loud cheering and slogan shouting with Mr. Yogeshwar snatching the lead.