The MLA seat in Mahalakshmi Layout constituency had become vacant after K Gopalaiah, the Janata Dal (Secular) MLA here, resigned to join the BJP. This had been a rude shock to the ruling JD(S)-Congress alliance, which had considered this a ‘safe’ seat in Bengaluru. K Gopalaiah had wrested the constituency from INC in 2013 and won again in 2018. This by-election, he’s contesting from the constituency as the BJP candidate.
Know your candidates
Twelve candidates are contesting from Mahalakshmi Layout constituency. Three other candidates had withdrawn their nominations, and three others’ were rejected.
Following are the major candidates:
| M Shivaraju
Party: Indian National Congress |
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| K Gopalaiah
Party: Bharatiya Janata Party
|
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| Dr Girish K Nashi
Party: Janata Dal (Secular)
|
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| Vatal Nagaraj
Party: Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha |
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Tracking Mahalakshmi Layout MLA Gopalaiah (2018 pre-poll analysis)
Interview with Bangalore South candidate Vatal Nagaraj (2019 Lok Sabha election)
Full list of candidates
| Candidate (Click on name for affidavit) | Party | Symbol |
| M SHIVARAJU, 44, BA, Businessman | Indian National Congress | Hand |
| K GOPALAIAH, 59, Social worker | Bharatiya Janata Party | Lotus |
| Dr GIRISH K NASHI , 62, Chartered Accountant | Janata Dal (Secular) | Lady Farmer carrying paddy on her head |
| R MURALI KUMAR , 27 | Independent | Television |
| M SHANKAR, 56, Mining Engineer | Independent | Truck |
| VENKATESH V, 46 | Independent | Coconut farm |
| N NARAYANASWAMY, 52, SSLC, Businessman | Jai Vijaya Bharathi Party | Pineapple |
| VATAL NAGARAJ, 70, SSLC, Social worker | Kannada Chalavali Vatal Paksha | Chappals |
| ASWATHA , 31 | Independent | Man blowing turha |
| VIJAYBHASKAR M, 43 | Independent | Sewing machine |
| GIRISH P, 35 | Karnataka Rashtra Samithi | Whistle |
| ASHA RANI V, 42 | Uttama Prajaakeeya Party | Autorickshaw |
Results of 2018 election
In the last assembly election, K Gopalaiah of JD(S) won 88,218 votes in this constituency, or over 55 percent of the vote share. The runner-up, N L Narendra Babu of BJP, trailed far behind with just 47,118 votes (or 29.47 percent). Manjunatha S of INC stood third with 20,496 (12.8 percent) votes.
| Name | Sex | Age | Category | Party | General votes | Postal votes | Total votes | % votes |
| K Gopalaiah | M | 57 | General | JD (S) | 88,026 | 192 | 88,218 | 55.18 |
| N L Narendra Babu | M | 56 | General | BJP | 47,029 | 89 | 47,118 | 29.47 |
| Manjunatha S | M | 28 | General | INC | 20,470 | 26 | 20,496 | 12.82 |
| NOTA | NOTA | 1738 | 1 | 1739 | 1.09 |
(Source: ECI)
About the Constituency
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Mahalakshmi Layout is considered the third largest residential layout in the city, following Jayanagar and Banashankari. Mahalakshmi Layout assembly constituency comprises six wards – Mahalakshmipuram, Nandini Layout, Geleyarabalaga, Nagapura, Kamalanagar and Vrishabhavathinagar.
In 2017, heavy rains lashed the area, killing five; the Vrishabhavathi valley flooded houses between Laggere and Yeshwanthpur, and garbage and sewage choked the area. Residents were furious, and accused the authorities of having done little to improve the area. After this, residents received a plethora of promises including upgradation of 23 of the 53 parks here. But not much seems to have been done. Due to fast growth, there has been an exodus of workers from Peenya to Nandini Layout and Mahalakshmipuram.
Total number of registered voters: 2,85,869
Registered voters in 2018 elections: 2,86,923
[Note: Number of registered voters has been updated based on ECI press release of 2.12.2019]