Sandur: Congress looks to make it five times in a row

Congress is trying to retain its Sandur stronghold even as the BJP makes an aggressive push to breach the bastion.

Congressman E Tukaram has been winning the seat since 2008 and held it for 16 years and is looking to retain it in the November 13 by-election.

In fact, the Grand Old Party has represented the Assembly segment in Ballari district since 1989 but was represented by then JD(S) man Santosh Lad from 2004 to 2008.

The seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and was vacated by Tukaram after he won the Ballari Lok Sabha segment against BJP candidate and fellow Nayaka community member B Sriramulu, a former minister, by nearly 99,000 votes. Ballari is also reserved for STs.

In 2023, Tukaram had beaten BJP candidate Shilpa Raghavendra by nearly 36,000 votes.

Tukaram was reluctant to leave state politics but was promised a ministerial role even if he lost.