Voting is underway for the bypolls in two Assembly constituencies—Bagalkot and Davanagere South—on Thursday, amid elaborate security arrangements and high political stakes. The by-elections were necessitated by the deaths of senior Congress legislators H Y Meti and Shamanur Shivashankarappa. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. Over 2.59 lakh voters are expected to cast ballots in Bagalkot, while Davanagere South will see participation from over 2.31 lakh voters.

Although the outcome is unlikely to immediately affect state politics, the contest is seen as a prestige battle between the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP. Congress is aiming to retain both seats, nominating family members of the late MLAs—Umesh Meti, son of H.Y. Meti, and Samarth Mallikarjun, grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa. The BJP has fielded former MLA Veerabhadrayya Charantimath in Bagalkot and newcomer Srinivas T Dasakariyappa in Davanagere South.

The elections have revealed internal fissures within Congress, especially in Davanagere South, where Muslim voter disgruntlement is being closely watched. Fourteen of the 25 candidates there belong to the community, raising concerns over vote splitting. Despite persuading rebel candidate Sadiq Pailwan to withdraw, his name remains on the ballot due to missing the withdrawal deadline. In Bagalkot, intra-family contestation was largely resolved after intervention by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In contrast, BJP candidate selection has faced minimal dissent, with leaders campaigning in unity.

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Both parties have deployed senior leaders to the constituencies. Congress heavyweights, including Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, toured extensively to bolster voter support. BJP, meanwhile, criticised the heavy Congress presence, claiming it reflected fear of defeat. The 2023 Assembly results saw H. Y. Meti defeat Charantimath by 5,878 votes in Bagalkot, while Shivashankarappa beat the BJP's B. G. Ajay Kumar by 27,888 votes in Davanagere South, setting a competitive backdrop for the by-elections.

With over 600,000 voters in the fray across 603 polling stations, the by-elections are being closely monitored as a barometer of public sentiment ahead of the 2028 Karnataka Assembly elections. Both parties are positioning these contests as crucial tests of organisational strength and local appeal, making Thursday’s polling a significant indicator of Karnataka’s evolving political landscape.

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