BJP wins 28 out of 33 seats in coastal Karnataka, Malnad

The BJP swept coastal and Malnad regions by winning 28 out of 33 seats in the Assembly elections, thereby improving its 2013 record of seven and 2008 record of 21 seats.

The Congress, that had won 18 and 10 seats in 2013 and 2008 respectively, has won just five seats this time, one each in Dakshina Kannada (Mangaluru-Ullal), Chikkamagaluru (Sringeri) and Shivamogga (Bhadravathi) and two in Uttara Kannada (Haliyal and Yellapur) districts. Janata Dal (Secular), that had won five seats in 2013, did not win any seat.

Prominent Congress losers include Ministers B. Ramanath Rai from Bantwal and Pramod Madhwaraj from Udupi, former Minister K. Abhayachandra from Moodbidri and KSRTC Chairman K. Gopal Poojary from Byndoor while its nominees and Ministers U.T. Khader and R.V. Deshpande won Mangaluru (Ullal) and Haliyal. BJP’s Rajesh Naik U. and Umanath Kotian emerged giant killers at Bantwal and Moodbidri.

The BJP won all five and two seats in Udupi and Kodagu districts respectively. In Uttara Kannada, it won four out of six seats. Former Minister Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, who retained his seat, was the lone BJP MLA from Uttara Kannada in 2013. In Shivamogga district too, BJP won six out of seven seats, leaving one to the Congress.

Similarly, in Dakshina Kannada, the BJP won seven out of eight seats, a feat which the Congress had performed in 2013. Only Mangaluru (Ullal) went to Congress’ nominee and Minister U.T. Khader.

The BJP improved its tally in Chikkamagaluru by winning four out of five seats though it lost Sringeri to Congress while the party retained Madikeri and Virajpet seats in Kodagu district. Three-term MLA C.T. Ravi defeated Congress stalwart B.L. Shankar in Chikkamagaluru while Y.S.V. Datta from JD(S), known for his simple style of functioning, lost to BJP’s Belli Prakash.

Independent MLA Mankala Vaidya had joined the Congress after getting elected in 2013 from Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada district while another independent MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty joined the BJP days before the polls, after resigning his position in Kundapur in Udupi district. While Mr. Vaidya suffered defeat at the hands of BJP’s Sunil Naik, Mr. Shetty defeated Congress’ Rakesh Malli by 56,405 votes.