Six-time MLA from Srinivaspur, Kolar Ramesh Kumar had served as Speaker during the H.D.Deve Gowda and J.H. Patel governments in the State (1994-99). The Congress candidate KR Ramesh Kumar defeated GK Venkatashivareddy of JD(S) by a margin 10,552 votes in the recently concluded assembly election. Though the BJP has 104 MLAs, the party decided to give a tough fight for Congress-JDS nominee six-time MLA KR Ramesh Kumar. The Congress-JDS alliance with the support of two independent MLAs has 117 seats in the house.