Karnataka Election Result 2023: From Jagadish Shettar to Laxman Savadi, here is how turncoat candidates performed

In a resounding victory for the Congress party, they comfortably surpassed the halfway mark in the Karnataka Assembly Election 2023. The state witnessed a smooth sailing for the Congress, emerging as the single-largest party.

Laxman Savadi's triumph in Athani

Laxman Savadi, the former deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, made headlines when he defected from the BJP to join the Congress just before the polls. He contested from the Athani Assembly constituency and emerged victorious. Savadi, a prominent Lingayat leader and a three-time MLA from Athani in the Belagavi district, secured a remarkable victory by defeating BJP's Mahesh Irangouda Kumathalli with an impressive margin of 76,122 votes. Prior to switching sides, Savadi expressed his loyalty to the BJP and claimed to have contributed significantly to the party's success in various parts of the state. However, the BJP failed to fulfill its promise of fielding him as a candidate from the Athani seat in the 2023 Assembly election. Consequently, he joined the Congress, which assured him the ticket for Athani.

Jagadish Shettar's disappointment in Hubli-Dharwad-Central

Jagadish Shettar, a former Chief Minister of Karnataka, found himself at odds with the BJP after being denied a ticket. Consequently, he shifted his allegiance to the Congress and contested from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central seat. Unfortunately for Shettar, another prominent Lingayat leader, his political journey took a downturn as he is set to face defeat in this constituency. Shettar was pitted against the BJP's Mahesh Tenginakai in a contest that didn't favor him.

MP Kumaraswamy's struggle in Mudigere

Former BJP leader MP Kumaraswamy's fortunes suffered a setback when the party denied him a ticket for the Mudigere constituency. As a result, he joined the Janata Dal Secular (JDS) and contested from there. However, Kumaraswamy is now on the verge of defeat in Mudigere, trailing behind both the Congress candidate Nayana Motamma and the BJP's Deepak Doddaiah. He secured the third position in the electoral race, falling short of the support garnered by the Congress and BJP contenders.