Except in Govindarajnagar, it is a three-cornered contest among the Congress, BJP and JD-S.

Mallikarjun Kharge had won from Chittapur in the May 2008 assembly polls and vacated the seat on his election to the Lok Sabha in the general elections April-May this year.

For Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa ensuring victory of the BJP candidates fighting from Govindrajnagar and Channapatna has become a prestige issue as they have defected from the Congress and have been given BJP tickets.

Somanna, contesting from Govindrajnagar, was rewarded with ministership for resigning the seat he won on a Congress ticket in the 2008 polls to join the BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

C.P. Yogeshwar, a film actor and a realtor, vacated the Channapatna assembly seat he won as a Congress candidate to join the BJP and contest the Lok Sabha poll from Ramanagara against Yeddyurappa's predecessor H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular. Yogeshwar lost and is seeking election to the assembly again.

Ensuring the JD-S candidate's victory in Ramanagara has become imperative for Kumaraswamy, who quit the seat to enter the Lok Sabha. The constituency is considered a JD-S stronghold.

While the Ramanagara assembly seat was held by the JD-S, the other four were with the Congress. The BJP is trying to get a foothold in these opposition strongholds.

Counting will be held Aug 21.