BJP's Ramamurthy wins Jayanagar by just 16 votes after recount amid Cong protest

The Bharatiya Janata Party candidate CK Ramamurthy was declared winner in Bengaluru's Jayanagar constituency, defeating Congress rival Sowmya Reddy by narrowest margin of 16 votes. The result came after a recount amid protests by the Congress in the seat.

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar accused the election commission officials of trying to distort the result of Sowmya Reddy, the Congress candidate from Bengaluru's Jayanagar assembly constituency.

“The Congress candidate of Jayanagar Assembly Constituency Mrs. Sowmya Reddy has won but protested against the action of the election officials who tried to distort the result on the pretext of recount”, Shivakumar said, tweeting a picture of him seated with state working president Ramalinga Reddy.

Shivakumar and Ramalinga Reddy among other office bearers staged a demonstration in protest against the electoral body's order.

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Earlier, the poll panel ordered recounting of postal ballots in Jayanagar where Reddy is in close contest with BJP's CK Ramamurthy.

An EC official said the recounting of postal ballots was ordered following an appeal by Ramamurthy. Of the total 224 seats in Karnataka, Jayanagar is the only segment where the result has not yet come out.

(With PTI inputs)