The Congress party emerged victorious in the keenly fought by-polls to the Lok Sabha from Udupi Chickmagalur constituency in Karnataka.
Congress candidate K. Jayaparakash Hegde polled 3,98,723 votes against the Bharatiya Janata Party’s V Sunil Kumar, who secured 3,52,999 votes. JD (S) candidate Bhoje Gowda bagged 45,724 votes.
About 66 per cent of the 12.53 lakh electorate had exercised their franchise during polling held on March 18 to fill the Lok Sabha seat that had fallen vacant after D.V. Sadananda Gowda assumed the post of Chief Minister last year.
The Congress victory triggered a trail of celebration across the State with party workers bursting crackers and rejoicing the party’s victory. Party workers assembled in front of the Congress office in Bangalore, burst crackers, waved party flags and shouted slogans in favour of the Congress party.