Puttanna won with a margin of 1507 votes

I dedicate this win to the teachers community: Puttana

INC workers shouted slogans proclaiming victory outside the Government Arts College

The by-poll for the teachers’ constituency in Bengaluru was won by the Indian National Congress (INC) candidate Puttanna with a margin of 1507 votes. INC workers shouted slogans proclaiming victory outside the Government Arts College. 8260 votes were made for Puttanna. The candidate from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) alliance AP Ranganath finished second with 6753 votes. 1239 votes were considered invalid. Puttanna had consolidated his lead during the second round of counting. After the second round Puttanna had 7069 votes in comparison to AP Ranganath who had 5574 votes. “For the last 3 elections, I have been winning right in the third round. I dedicate this win to the teachers community. I am working for the welfare of the teachers’ community. I have worked alongside them by building trust. This is not the workers’ vote but rather the teachers’ vote. Those who lose are bound to make allegations. They have to reconcile themselves with this development. After losing, the candidate had won the lawyer’s election. To defeat me, the BJP-JD(S) allied with each other. But the teachers have placed their trust on me,” Puttana said in his address after securing victory. 

This is the first loss for the BJP-JD(S) alliance and will act as a morale booster for the INC. Whether this energy will be transferred into the campaign for the Lok Sabha election remains to be seen.