BENGALURU: Despite strong determination by JD(S) to ensure defeat of Zameer Ahmed Khan (Congress) in Chamrajpet, Zameer emerged victorious, that too effortlessly by a margin of 33,137 votes, against B K Altaf Khan (JD-S). Zameer had turned hostile to JD(S) after he cross voted against a party candidate in the 2016 Rajya Sabha polls. Since then, JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda was waiting to teach Zameer a lesson and had vowed to defeat him. But his strategies fell flat with Zameer winning by a margin of 33,137 votes and Altaf Khan coming third.
Various factors worked in favour of Zameer and it appears that he was largely benefited by consolidation of Muslim votes and the large vote base the Congress enjoys in segment.Zameer was deeply entrenched in the constituency, with a strong influence over people of different communities in many slum pockets of Chamarajpet. This turned out be a major challenge for his opponents to divide votes. Also, attitude of JD(S) to just see his defeat and the lack of aggression to ensure its candidate’s victory turned into an advantage for him.
Both JD(S) and BJP did not field a strong candidate who could stop Khan from winning for the fourth-time. Zameer’s popularity with grass-root level workers ensured his victory, despite defecting JD(S) and contesting on Congress ticket. JD(S) and the BJP did not execute effective campaigns while Zameer went for door-to-door campaigning.