Congress ready to face bypolls, says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 17 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that the Congress party is prepared to face the upcoming bypolls in the state, scheduled for November, and that all necessary preparations are underway.
He also emphasised that investigative agencies should operate impartially and not favour any particular political party.
In Karnataka, assembly by-elections are scheduled for the Channapatna, Shiggaon, and Sandur constituencies.
"The Congress party is ready for the by-elections. We will face the upcoming by-elections in November with full preparation," CM Siddaramaiah told reporters.
"All agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Enforcement Directorate (ED), and Income Tax Department, which operate under the central government, must work impartially and not favour any political party," CM Siddaramaiah added.
Earlier, on Tuesday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced bypolls for 48 assembly constituencies, including nine seats in Uttar Pradesh and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, scheduled for November 13.
The vote counting will take place on November 23.
The bypolls are spread across 15 states: Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
In Rajasthan, bypolls will be held in Chorasi, Khinwsar, Dausa, Jhunjhunu, Deoli-Uniara, Salumber, and Ramgarh.
In West Bengal, bypolls will take place in Taldangra, Sitai, Naihati, Haroa, Medinipur, and Madarihat.
Uttar Pradesh will see the largest number of bypolls, with elections to be held in Meerapur, Kundarki, Ghaziabad, Khair, Karhal, Phulpur, Katehari, Majhawan, and Sishamau.
Assembly elections are also scheduled to take place in Maharashtra and Jharkhand in November.
Earlier this month, results for the assembly elections in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir were announced. (ANI)