Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi corporation polls on Sept 3

BENGALURU/HUBBAALLI: The State Election Commission on Wednesday announced that long-delayed elections to Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi and Kalaburagi city corporations will be held on September 3 and results will be declared on September 6.
Though results have no immediate impact on the state government, the elections will be a big test for new chief minister Basavaraj Bommai as the party is facing polls for the first time under his leadership.How the party performs at the hustings could set the tone for upcoming elections to zilla and taluk panchayats and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. Since the three corporations are in north Karnataka where JD(S) has no marked presence, it will be a direct fight between the Congress and BJP.
While the BJP had emerged as the single largest party (one seat short of a simple majority) in the 82-ward Hubballi-Dharwad corporation in 2013, the Congress came victorious in Kalaburagi which has 55 seats. In the 58-ward Belagavi corporation, elections were not held on the party lines as per a pre-poll understanding among leaders from the district.