Bengaluru, May 4 (IANS) Congress party workers have begun celebrations in Bagalkot as party candidate Umesh Meti has secured a lead of 17,205 votes at the end of the 21st round of counting. With only two rounds of counting remaining, a Congress victory is now seen as certain.

Workers are celebrating by bursting firecrackers, with the party maintaining a lead from the first round through to the 21st round. Supporters are also celebrating while holding a portrait of Umesh Meti, and marking the occasion by throwing gulal and bursting firecrackers.

In the Bagalkot Assembly segment, at the end of the 21th round of counting, Congress candidate Umesh Meti has maintained a good lead of 17,205 votes over BJP candidate Veeranna Charantimath. Umesh Meti has secured 87,624 votes, while Veeranna Charantimath has polled 70,419 votes. There are a total of 23 rounds of counting and counting of only two rounds are remaining.

In Bagalkot, the bye-election was held following the untimely demise of H.Y. Meti. His son, Umesh Meti, is in a direct contest against the BJP’s Veeranna Charantimath. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah campaigned extensively for the Congress candidate.

In the much-awaited Davanagere South constituency, BJP’s Srinivasa T. Dasakariyappa’s continued to trail against Congress candidate Samarth Mallikarjun. Srinivasa has polled 29,503 while Samarth Mallikarjun has secured 37,419 votes after the 11th round of counting. There are a total of 21 rounds of counting.

The Davanagere South bypoll was necessitated by the death of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa. The party fielded his grandson, Samarth Mallikarjun, as its candidate, while the BJP nominated Srinivasa T. Dasakariyappa, a party leader from the oppressed classes.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed confidence that the Congress will win the bye-elections in Davanagere and Bagalkot. He said that in Davanagere, the victory margin may be lower due to various reasons, but they will still win.

Responding to the five-state election results, the Chief Minister said that the outcome in Assam was on expected lines and they accept it. In Kerala, they have secured more seats than anticipated. “We had said we would win around 76 to 80 seats, but we are leading in 95 seats,” he said. He added that he believes there may be an anti-incumbency wave in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal. Speaking about the TVK party gaining a lead in Tamil Nadu, he said he would congratulate Vijay.

–IANS

mka/rad