Bengaluru: Karnataka will witness by-election to two MLA and three MP seats on Saturday, which will in effect be a curtain-raiser to the Lok Sabha elections next year. 

While Lok Sabha by-elections will be held in the Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya constituencies of the state, Assembly by-elections will be held at Ramanagara and Jamakhandi. The results will be declared on Tuesday. 

Here we bring you complete details of the candidates, constituencies and party influence in the Karnataka by-polls.

Lok Sabha constituencies:

Ballari

Congress - VS Ugrappa

BJP - J Shantha

Congress has fielded its loyal, veteran candidate Ugrappa. He is a close aide of former chief minister Siddaramaiah.

Shantha is the sister of Molakalmuru MLA and BJP leader B Sriramulu. She wields power and influence having been close to Sriramulu’s friend and former minister Gali Janardhana Reddy. 

BJP candidate Shantha was born in Ballari, but Ugrappa hails from the Tumakuru district. Though Urgappa is a veteran leader, unopposed by two big factions in the state (led by DK Shivakumar and Jarkiholi brothers), he has been accused of sexually harassing a woman named Manatha Kumari. She has even alleged that Ugrappa is forcing her to withdraw the complaint.

With the #MeToo movement growing, it might prove beneficial to the BJP in Ballari.

Shivamogga

JD(S) - Madhu Bangarappa

BJP -  BY Raghavendra

Here the fight is between the sons of two former chief ministers. While JD(S)'s Bangarappa is the son of former chief minister S Bangarappa, BY Raghavendra of the BJP is the son of former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa.

Bangarappa had lost against his brother Kumar Bangarappa of the BJP in the Assembly (Soraba) elections held in May this year. 

Raghavendra, on the other hand, was not given a ticket for the MLA election, despite the demand from his supporters. For Bangarappa, who is also an actor-producer, these by-polls is a presige fight, given that his brother Kumar Bangarappa had campaigned for Raghavendra.

Shivamogga is said to be the stronghold of the BJP and Raghavendra holds influence in the region. However, Bangarappa has Congress support. 

Mandya

JD(S)- LR Shivaramegowda 

BJP - Siddaramaiah 

Two-time MLA from the Congress, LR Shivaramegowda, will be contesting the Mandya Lok Sabha by-elections for the JD(S). However, the decision of the top leaders of the Congress (Siddaramaiah) and JD(S) (party supremo HD Deve Gowda) to allow Shivaramegowda to contest has not been received well by the Congress workers. The Congress's decision to leave the seat to JD(S) has made the ground-level workers of the Congress angry and some are campaigning against Shivaramegowda.

Siddaramaiah is a bureaucrat and the son of former MLA Dodda Boregowda. He is a novice when it comes to politics, but resentment towards Shivaramegowda's candidacy in the Congress might prove to be a blessing in disguise for Siddaramaiah.

Assembly constituencies:

Ramanagara

JD(S) - Anitha Kumaraswamy

BJP - L Chandrashekhar

Anitha is the wife of the incumbent chief minister, HD Kumaraswamy. After much dilly-dallying, the JD(S) gave the ticket to Anitha, against the wishes of some party members and Congress leaders. The Congress has decided to support Anitha.

Meanwhile, the BJP has termed L Chandrashekhar, who resigned from the party just two days before the elections, as a traitor. Chandrashekhar had joined the BJP in October and was given a ticket, but has now rejoined the Congress. 

The Election Commission has, however, clarified that Chandrashekhar's name will remain on the EVMs as a BJP candidate even if he had resigned from the party as the last date to withdraw nominations is over. Chandrashekhar, however, has promised to support Anitha's candidacy. In case Chandrashekhar wins, there will be a need for another by-election as Chandrashekhar is no more a BJP candidate.  

Jamakhandi

Congress - Anand Nyamagouda 

BJP - Srikanth Kulkarni

The Congress has fielded Anand Nyamagouda, the son of late MLA Siddu Nyamagouda. He is new to politics and the party is hoping to get sympathy votes, as his father Siddu Nyamagouda died in an accident recently.

The BJP is also trying to hold on to sympathy votes as Srikanth Kulkarni had lost to Siddu Nyamagouda in the recent Assembly elections conducted in May 2018). It is being said that Yeddyurappa has clarified that it will be the last election for Srikanth and that party cadre have worked hard to campaign for their leader.