Karnataka bypolls: Congress wins Bagalkot by 22,332 votes; Davanagere South tight
Synopsis
Congress romped home in Bagalkot with a 22,332-vote margin and was leading in Davanagere South — a double boost for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar, whose prestige was directly on the line in both seats. The results also underline the BJP's continued struggle to break into constituencies triggered by the deaths of Congress stalwarts.
Key Takeaways
Congress candidate Umesh Meti won the Bagalkot bypoll by 22,332 votes , polling 98,919 against BJP's 76,587 .
In Davanagere South , Congress's Samarth Mallikarjun led with 59,992 votes against BJP's Srinivasa T.
Dasakariyappa's 54,335 after 18 of 21 rounds .
SDPI candidate Afsar Kodlipet polled 18,203 votes in Davanagere South.
Both bypolls were necessitated by the deaths of sitting legislators — H.Y.
Meti in Bagalkot and veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa in Davanagere South.
The results carry significant political weight for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K.
Congress has secured a decisive victory in the Bagalkot Assembly bypoll in Karnataka, with candidate Umesh Meti winning by a margin of 22,332 votes, according to final counting results declared on 4 May. In the second bypoll seat, Davanagere South, Congress was leading by 5,657 votes after 18 of 21 rounds of counting, with the contest remaining closely watched.
Bagalkot Result: A Decisive Congress Win
Umesh Meti of Congress polled 98,919 votes across all 23 rounds of counting, while Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Veeranna Charantimath secured 76,587 votes. The margin of 22,332 votes was described by party workers as a commanding win. Congress workers were seen celebrating across the Bagalkot segment following the announcement.
Reacting to the result, Umesh Meti said:
Point of View
Now contested by their direct descendants. That Congress held Bagalkot comfortably and was leading in Davanagere South suggests the dynasty factor still carries electoral weight in Karnataka's semi-urban constituencies. For the BJP, the results expose a persistent gap in converting anti-incumbency into wins even where the Congress fielded political heirs rather than seasoned campaigners. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's extensive personal campaigning in Bagalkot paid off, but the narrower Davanagere South margin — if it holds — signals that the SDPI's 18,203-vote haul may have complicated the arithmetic in ways the Congress will need to study before the next cycle.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the Bagalkot bypoll in Karnataka?
Congress candidate Umesh Meti won the Bagalkot Assembly bypoll with 98,919 votes, defeating BJP's Veeranna Charantimath who secured 76,587 votes. The winning margin was 22,332 votes across 23 rounds of counting.
What is the latest status of the Davanagere South bypoll?
After 18 of 21 rounds of counting, Congress candidate Samarth Mallikarjun was leading with 59,992 votes against BJP's Srinivasa T. Dasakariyappa's 54,335 votes — a margin of 5,657 votes. The final result was still being awaited.
Why were the Bagalkot and Davanagere South bypolls held?
The Bagalkot bypoll was necessitated by the untimely death of sitting MLA H.Y. Meti, and the Davanagere South bypoll followed the death of veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Both seats were subsequently contested by the deceased leaders' family members.
Why are these bypoll results politically significant?
The results directly affect the prestige of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who campaigned actively for the Congress candidates. For the BJP, Davanagere South represented a rare opportunity to win a seat it had not held before in this Assembly segment.
What did Bagalkot winner Umesh Meti say after his victory?
Umesh Meti credited the win to collective effort, stating every Congress worker and leader worked as if they themselves were the candidate. He also said he would focus on development in the constituency and fulfil his late father's dream of establishing a medical college.
