Karnataka Bypolls in Bagalkote and Davanagere South

Bypolls were held on Thursday for two Assembly constituencies, India===Bagalkote and India===Davanagere South, in India===Karnataka, India. These elections were necessitated by the deaths of senior India===Indian National Congress MLAs H. Y. Meti and Shamanuru Shivashankarappa. The ruling India===Indian National Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, while the opposition India===Bharatiya Janata Party aims to win them, viewing the contest as a matter of prestige. The India===Indian National Congress has fielded family members of the deceased legislators: Umesh Meti in India===Bagalkote and Samarth Mallikarjun in India===Davanagere South. The India===Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated Veerabhadrayya Charantimath for India===Bagalkote and Srinivas T Dasakariyappa for India===Davanagere South. Voter turnout was over 68% in India===Bagalkote and 68.55% in India===Davanagere South. Counting of votes is scheduled for May 4. The outcome is not expected to have an immediate impact on state politics but is crucial for the morale and future electoral strategies of both major parties.