Bengaluru: In a big blow to the ruling coalition in Karnataka, JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda was defeated in Tumkur constituency by his BJP rival by a margin of over 13,000 votes, the Election Commission said Thursday. G SBasavaraj secured 5,96,127 votes while Gowda got 5,82,788votes, according to the EC details.

The fight in Tumkur was also seen as battle between - Lingayats and Vokkaligas - two dominant communities in Karnataka to which both Basavaraj and Gowda belong to respectively. Gowda, the joint candidate of ruling Congress-JDS coalition, chose to contest from Tumkur at the last minute, after vacating Hassan-his home tuft, to grandson Prajwal Revanna. It is also said Gowda, who had indicated about his retirement from electoral politics, reluctantly decided to contest, due to pressure from the party workers.