The Belgaum Rural constituency has seen what is more often seen in Indian Politics. The rebels who could not get a seat from the party stood as independents and ate the vote share, inturn helping a third party.
The classic example for this is Belgaum Rural constituency. The Indian National Congress had fielded Lakshmi Hebbalkar who got 35811and stood 3rd. Anandswamy Gaddevarmath who got 17670 is a Congress Rebel candidate. If one would add both the votes together it would go to 53481 which would have meant a clear victory.
This is not enough, the Marathi also two candidates, we dont know who to call the rebellion as the two factions of MES ND Patil group and Kiran Thakur group had fielded their candidates both claiming to be the Original MES. Manohar Kinekar of the N D Patil group was leading for about 70% time of the counting and at the end secured 36987 votes. Shivaji Suntakar representing the Thakur group got 15759 votes. If you add two together it goes upto 52746 and thats close to what the total of combined INC candidates above (53481).
Sanjay Patil of the BJP, the sitting MLA secured 38322 votes and he turned the tables right at the end of the counting.
Sanjay Patil in 2008 had got 31.73% votes whereas this time he has won even with a lesser percentage of votes of just 25.20%.
Kinekar in 2008 had secured 21.57% votes while Suntakar then as well had secured 13% of the votes. This time Kinekar got 24.32% thats more than 2008 but even then he lost. Suntakar got only 10.36% votes when in 2008 he had 13% share.
A victory is a victory how he/she may get it. But each one must look into these figures more closely to ascertain how rebel candidates can turn the tables.
All the best to Sanjay Patil and hope even when not in power the MLA will help for the betterment of the people.