Karnataka Bypolls Enter Silence Period Before April 9 Vote

Overview

• Following Tuesday's campaign close, a 48-hour silence bars public campaigning, with voting on Wednesday, April 9, in Davanagere South and Bagalkot and counting set for May 4.
• The contests were called after the deaths of Congress MLAs Shamanur Shivashankarappa and H Y Meti, and the party has fielded their relatives Samarth Mallikarjun and Umesh Meti.
• Congress framed the vote as a test of its welfare schemes with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar leading the push, while the BJP attacked dynastic picks and nominated Srinivasa T Dasakariyappa and Veeranna Charanthimath.
• Shivakumar said the campaign was peaceful and brushed off talk of a leadership change, telling reporters that "time will answer" questions about the chief minister’s post.
• About 40 Congress legislators plan to ask the party leadership in New Delhi for cabinet berths after the bypolls, a move that could add pressure for a reshuffle that state minister G Parameshwara says is for the chief minister and high command to decide.