Bengaluru, Nov 23 (IANS) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is leading in all three Assembly segments as counting of votes is progressing in Karnataka. Congress, which was leading with a thin margin initially, is suffering a setback in its traditional bastion, Sandur.

According to official statistics released by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Annapurana Tukaram, the Congress candidate who was leading in the Sandur Assembly segment by 205 votes at the end of the fifth round is trailing by 867 votes at the end of counting of the seventh round. She polled 33,352 votes.

Her rival BJP candidate Bangaru Hanumanthu has recovered from the initial setback with 34,219 votes. There are 19 rounds of counting for this Assembly segment. 466 persons have preferred the NOTA option.

In the high-profile Channapatna constituency, NDA candidate Nikhil Kumaraswamy is leading with 1,306 votes at the end of the fifth round. Nikhil polled 25,469 votes while the Congress candidate C. P. Yogeshwara got 24,343 votes.

There are 20 rounds of counting for this segment which witnessed a remarkable 88.80 per cent voting in the by-elections. 89 voters have opted for NOTA here.

In Shiggaon Assembly constituency, BJP candidate Bharath Bommai has increased the lead from 440 votes in round three to 1,835 votes in the fifth round. He polled 27,432 votes and Congress candidate Yasir Ahmed Khan Pathan got 25,597 votes. The counting of 14 rounds is remaining. 262 NOTA votes have been counted so far.

Political parties in Karnataka are eagerly waiting for the results of the bypolls to three Assembly constituencies. The results are expected by noon.

The three went to polls following the resignations by legislators who successfully contested the Lok Sabha elections.

Of the three seats, the Channapatna seat is considered the most high-profile, as it has witnessed a showdown between the families of former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda and Deputy Chief Minister and Karnataka Congress President D. K. Shivakumar.

The by-elections were held for the high-profile Channapatna Assembly seat represented by Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy, Shiggaon seat held by former CM and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai. Sandur seat, where BJP has never won, was represented by Congress MP E. Tukaram.