Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar who quit BJP and joined the Congress in the run-up to Karnataka Assembly elections lost to the BJP's Mahesh Tenginakai by 30,000 votes from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central seat.
Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader and a 6-time MLA switched to the old grand party after he was denied a ticket from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central seat. An upset Shettar, alleged 'ill treatment' by the BJP.
Before the elections, Shettar had said that the people will vote for him, however, despite stellar performance by the Congress, Shettar could not clinch victory.