Bypolls litmus test for K'taka CM, he says party will have collective leadership

Bengaluru, Sep 28 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will face his first litmus test after taking charge in the form of by-elections in Sindhagi and Hanagal assembly constituencies. The date of the polls has been announced by the Election Commission. However, Bommai stated that the party would fight the by-elections under collective leadership.

Bommai has stated that the party will fight the elections under collective leadership. "The issue has been discussed in the core committee meeting of the party. The party observers will be finalised by state party President Nalin Kumar Kateel and sent to the constituencies to finalise the candidates," he stated.

"The people are with us. Booth level party workers will ensure victory in both the constituencies," he underlined without taking the name of former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa.

Former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy stated that the JD (S)will field candidates in both the constituencies and pull out all stops to ensure victory.

Congress Working President Eshwar Khandre announced that the party is ready to face the by-elections. "All senior leaders have already discussed strategy and we have announced the candidate for Sindhagi constituency and the Hanagal candidate will be finalised soon," he stated.

The by-elections have become a matter of prestige for Bommai as he needs to prove himself in the first assembly by-elections after he became the Chief Minister. The late Udasi had won the Hanagal seat 6 times and the BJP had won the Sindhagi seat twice before the late Managuli wrested it for the JD (S) in the last election.