Bengaluru, November 3: Polling is under underway for three Lok Sabha and two assembly constituencies in Karnataka. These elections will be the test of the Congress and the Janta Dal Secular (JDS) alliance. Three Lok Sabha constituencies are -Bellary, Shimoga, Mandya, while three assembly constituencies are -- Jamkhandi and Ramanagaram. The alliance partners have fielded joint candidates in all the Lok Sabha and assembly seats.

The JD(S) is contesting from Mandya and Shimoga Lok Sabha seats and the Ramanagara assembly constituency, while the Congress candidates are contesting elections from Ballari Lok Sabha seat and Jamkhandi assembly seat. In Ramanagara assembly seat, the Bharatiya Janata party candidate contesting against Anitha Kumaraswamy, JD (S) candidate and the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy quit the contest on Thursday and returned to the Congress. Congress, BJP Surprised at Announcement of Lok Sabha Bypolls in Karnataka; CM’s Wife to Contest in Ramanagara Assembly Segment

The Shimogaa Lok Sabha seat is witnessing a contest between the sons of three former chief ministers of the state. The BJP has put up Yeddyurappa's son BY Raghavendra, and the JD(S) has nominated Madhu Bangarappa, the son of former chief minister S Bangarappa. BJP's ally in Bihar is also contesting election from the seat which fell vacant after former chief minister BS Yeddyurappa resigned to contest the assembly election from Shikaripura.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on October 6 announced the date for the by-polls in the state along with the announcement of dates of assembly elections in five states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh (MP), Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram. Voting for the first phase of elections in Southern Chhattisgarh will be held on November 12 in 18 constituencies, and Phase-2 will be held in Northern Chhattisgarh on the remaining 72 constituencies on November 20. In Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram, voting will take place on November 28. In Rajasthan and Telangana, voting will be held on December 7. Counting of votes will take place on December 11.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2018 08:50 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).