Lok Sabha Election Results: Rape-accused Prajwal Revanna leads in Karnataka's Hassan

Amidst legal troubles, Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna has emerged as the frontrunner in the Lok Sabha race for Karnataka's Hassan constituency. Revanna, currently in police custody over allegations of sexual abuse and rape, has taken an early lead in the electoral contest, as revealed by the preliminary trends shared by the Election Commission of India.

The voting for the Lok Sabha elections in Hassan took place during the second phase of the seven-phase polling on April 26. Despite Revanna's legal predicament, he has managed to secure a lead of 5,201 votes over his closest rival, Congress' Shreyas M Patel, the grandson of the late G Puttaswamy Gowda, who has garnered 1,90,337 votes thus far.

Notably, the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency recorded a robust voter turnout of 77.42 per cent, marking one of its highest turnouts since 2009. This constituency, historically represented by former Prime Minister Deve Gowda for three consecutive terms from 2004 to 2019, witnessed a shift in the 2019 general elections when Revanna, his grandson, secured victory with a significant vote share of 52.96 per cent, defeating BJP leader Manju A by a considerable margin of 11.06 per cent.

Revanna's candidacy has been marred by controversy, with allegations of rape and sexual assault surfacing after pen drives containing videos purportedly showing him with multiple women went viral in Hassan. Despite the legal cloud hanging over him, Revanna's electoral prospects remain strong, with early indications suggesting a significant lead in the ongoing Lok Sabha race.