Vinay Kulkarni disqualified as Karnataka MLA,stage set for Dharwad bypoll

Dharwad: Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni has been officially disqualified from the Karnataka legislative assembly for six years from April 15, following his conviction in a 2016 murder case. The move has triggered a fresh by-election in the politically sensitive Dharwad constituency.Kulkarni was convicted by a special court in Bengaluru along with 16 others in the murder of BJP functionary Yogeesh Gouda. He was elected from Dharwad in 2023.In a notification Saturday, assembly secretary MK Vishalakshi said the disqualification was enforced under Article 191(1)(e) of the Constitution and Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. It will remain in force for six years from the date of his release unless a higher court stays the conviction.The development creates a fresh vacancy in the assembly, setting the stage for another bypoll. The outcome of the recently held by-elections to Davanagere South and Bagalkot seats are due for announcement Monday.Dharwad seat, earlier Dharwad Rural, has a history of mid-term churn. Since 1981, it has seen three by-elections, each under unusual circumstances — from the death of sitting MLAs to resignations. Traditionally a Congress bastion, the seat has seen shifting loyalties over time, with BJP making steady gains in recent years. The constituency is now considered highly competitive.Kulkarni's own electoral record reflects that volatility. He won as an independent in 2004, lost in 2008, returned in 2013, lost again in 2018, and staged a comeback in 2023 despite restrictions on entering Dharwad district during the campaigning.