Karnataka Bypoll Results: P. Chidambaram Says Congress-JD-S Alliance Turned Out Beneficial

After attaining victory in the parliamentary and assembly bypolls in Karnataka, former Finance Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said that the alliance has turned out to be beneficial.

"The 4-1 win in the Karnataka bye-elections is similar to the Test series of Indian cricket team led by Virat Kohli. Lesson to be learnt: Alliance has turned out to be beneficial," Chidambaram tweeted.

The senior Congress leader's remarks came after the Karnataka ruling coalition Janata Dal-Secular and Congress took lead in two seats each in the vote count for the three Lok Sabha and two assembly seats.

According to early trends at 9.45 a.m., the Bharatiya Janata Party was expected to hold on to its Shimoga seat but might lose the Bellary seat where its trailing by over one lakh votes.

The Congress-JD(S) alliance is leading in the Bellary and Mandya Lok Sabha seats, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Shimoga.

The Congress was leading in Bellary and its coalition partner Janata Dal (Secular) in the Mandya parliamentary seats, electoral officials said.

The JD(S)-Congress coalition was also leading in Ramanagara and Jamkhandi Assembly segments respectively.

Prior to the bypolls, the JD-S held Ramanagara and Mandya seats, while the Congress Jamakhandi and the BJP Bellary and Shimoga.

The constituencies that went to polls on November 3 are Bellary, Shimoga, Mandya, Ramanagara and Jhamkandi.

A total of 31 candidates were in the fray from all the five constituencies, though the contest is mainly between the Congress-JDS combine and the BJP.

(With inputs from agencies)