The results of the byelections to two Assembly seats in Karnataka, particularly the Davangere South seat, have come as a caution bell for the Opposition BJP that missed the opportunity to cash in on disgruntlement within the ruling Congress.

No doubt the ruling party is bound to have an advantage in the byelections. Also, these bypolls were caused by the death of two veteran Congress MLAs who had a strong hold on their constituencies for several decades, and to encash on their political legacy as well as sympathy factor, the ruling Congress had fielded their family members as candidates.