In a quest to be the first to break the news, a few TV channels announced that JD(S) candidate M.C. Sundareshan had been declared elected from T. Narsipur constituency. The confusion arose because his agents rushed out in jubilation after finding out that Mr. Sundareshan had established a considerable lead in the final round of counting.
As word spread, TV channels flashed the news and party supporters burst firecrackers and celebrated in Bannur, T. Narsipur and other places.
However, even as celebrations were in full swing, the Returning Officer declared H.C. Mahadevappa of the Congress the winner by a slender margin of 323 votes. A stunned Mr. Sundareshan arrived at the counting centre for a clarification and re-totalling confirmed the results.
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