Cong, BJP face uphill task in 6 assembly bypolls

New Delhi: The Congress and the BJP face uphill task as six assembly constituencies in four states - Karnataka, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand - go for bypolls on Wednesday.

Karnataka:

Poll booths in Bellary in Karnataka have literally turned into fortresses ahead of the bypolls.

It's a litmus test for the BJP as many of the party MLAs are supporting independent candidate Sriramulu, who is being backed by the Reddy brothers.

Haryana:

While BJP's fate is at stake in Karnataka, the Congress faces an uphill task in Haryana.

Bypolls are taking place in Adampur and Ratia assembly constituencies, which will be crucial for the Bhupinder Singh Hooda-led Congress government, especially after the electoral setback it suffered in Hisar last month.

Sixteen candidates including ten independents are in fray in Ratia constituency and 21 candidates including 13 Independents in Adampur segment.

From Adampur, Congress has fielded former legislator Kulbeer Singh against Haryana Janhit Congress President Kuldeep Bishnoi's wife Renuka Bishnoi.

Himachal Pradesh:

Tight security arrangements have been made for fair and peaceful bypolls to Renuka and Nalagarh Assembly constituencies in Himachal Pradesh, slated for on Wednesday.

Six companies of ITBP and 692 poll personnel have been deployed at 172 polling booths.

As many as 1,20,253 electorates will exercise their right to franchise. 21 booths have been declared as hyper sensitive and 27 as sensitive.

The Nalagarh seat was vacated due to the death of former BJP minister and three times MLA Hari Naraian Saini, while the Renuka seat fell vacant following death of six times Congress MLA Prem Singh.

Saini's wife Gurnam Kaur and Prem Singh's son Vinay Kumar are in the fray from their respective constituencies and banking on sympathy wave.

Jharkhand:

Bypolls will also be held in the Naxal-hit area of Mandu in Jharkhand. Security has been tightened with 32 companies of security personnel deployed.

Prominent among the 22 candidates are Jharkhand Mukti Morcha candidate Jaiprakash Bhai Patel and Congress candidate Kumar Mahesh Singh.

(With additional information from PTI)