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Three Meti Family Members Vie for Bagalkote Ticket, Says Karnataka CM

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has revealed that three members of the Meti family are seeking the Congress ticket for the upcoming Bagalkote assembly by-election. He stated that the final decision for this seat and the Davanagere South seat will be made by the party's high command, with senior leader Randeep Singh Surjewala set to visit the state. The Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for by-elections across eight constituencies in six states, with polling set for April 23, 2026. The vacancies were created following the deaths of sitting legislators, including H.Y. Meti in Bagalkote and Shamanur Shivashankarappa in Davanagere South.

Key Points: Karnataka CM on Bagalkote By-Election & Meti Family Ticket Seekers

  • Three Meti family members seek Congress ticket
  • Final decision with party high command
  • By-polls for 8 seats across 6 states
  • Polling scheduled for April 23, 2026
3 min read

"Three members from the Meti family seeking ticket:" Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Bagalkote by-election

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah says three Meti family members seek Bagalkote ticket. Final decision rests with Congress high command as ECI announces by-poll schedule.

"Three members from the Meti family... are seeking the ticket. I have told them that whoever gets the ticket, all of them should work together. - Siddaramaiah"

Bengaluru, March 19

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Wednesday, discussing the upcoming Bagalkote by-election, said that three members from the Meti family, Mallikarjun, Umesh, and Mahadevi, have sought the ticket for the Bagalkote assembly constituency.

In response, the Chief Minister said he has told the Meti family members that regardless of who receives the ticket, members of the Meti group must work together.

However, he stated that the final decision regarding the Bagalkote and Davanagere seats will be taken by the high command.

"The decision on the Bagalkote and Davanagere seats will be taken by the high command. Randeep Singh Surjewala will visit the state on Friday, 20th March. A team had already visited Davanagere and Bagalkote yesterday, and they will submit a report. Based on that, I will discuss with the Deputy Chief Minister and send our report. Three members from the Meti family -- Mallikarjun, Umesh, and Mahadevi -- are seeking the ticket. I have told them that whoever gets the ticket, all of them should work together, and they have agreed to this..." said Siddaramaiah.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced the schedule for by-elections across eight Assembly constituencies in six states.

The constituencies include Ponda (Goa), Umreth (Gujarat), Bagalkot and Davanagere South (Karnataka), Rahuri and Baramati (Maharashtra), Dharmanagar (Tripura), and Koridang (Nagaland).

The vacancies arose following the deaths of several sitting legislators. In Maharashtra, the Rahuri and Baramati seats fell vacant due to the demise of MLAs Shivaji Bhanudas Kardile and Ajit Pawar, respectively. In Karnataka, the Bagalkot seat became vacant following the death of H.Y. Meti, while the Davanagere South seat fell vacant after the death of veteran MLA Shamanur Shivashankarappa. These by-elections are being conducted to fill the resulting vacancies in the respective state assemblies.

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission, polling will be held on April 23, 2026.

As per the programme, the gazette notification will be issued on March 30, 2026 (Monday). The last date for filing nomination papers is April 6, 2026 (Monday), while scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on April 7, 2026 (Tuesday).

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 9, 2026 (Thursday). Polling in the constituencies will be conducted on April 23, 2026 (Thursday). After polling, the counting of votes will take place on May 4, 2026 (Monday), and the results will be declared the same day. The entire election process will be completed by May 6, 2026 (Wednesday), the Commission said.

The Election Commission has instructed all concerned authorities to make necessary arrangements for the by-elections and ensure strict compliance with the Model Code of Conduct.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Good that CM Siddaramaiah has made them agree to work together whoever gets the ticket. Internal unity is crucial for winning by-polls. Hope the high command decides quickly so the candidate can start campaigning. 🤞
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Sarah B
Interesting to see the process from an outside perspective. The "high command" system seems very centralized. In the US, local party members typically have more say in primaries. Hope the decision is transparent.
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Vikram M
Bagalkote needs a strong voice in Vidhana Soudha. While respecting the Meti family's contribution, the party should also consider if there are other strong local leaders who could serve the people better. The report by Surjewala ji will be key.
M
Meera T
Mahadevi Meti is seeking the ticket? That's good to see more women entering the fray. However, the decision should be based on merit and connect with the people, not just gender. The April 23rd date gives enough time for a proper campaign.
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Aman W
By-elections are always tricky. With the Model Code of Conduct in place, hope the administration ensures a level playing field. The focus should be on the issues of Bagalkote - water, infrastructure, and employment.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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