Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Feb 25: “Zilla/Taluk Panchayat results throughout the state have been satisfactory and people have given the mandate in favour of the administration,” said MLC Ivan D'Souza. 

Addressing the media persons here at his office on Thursday, February 25, MLC Ivan, said, “I thank the people of the state for keeping their confidence in congress party. Though we have not won in the district, our performance has improved. Congress has got 3,46,362 votes while BJP has been successful in securing 3,48,056 in Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat.  BJP has been successful in securing 1694 votes more than congress. We had won 11 seats in 2011 zilla panchayat election but now we have improved and won 15 seats in this election.”

“We have lost one seat at Sangabettu with the margin of 13 votes. We also lost three more seats with the margin of less than 150 votes. If we look at the results take taluk wise, we have been successful in winning two big Taluk panchayats Mangaluru and Bantwal.”

Taluk wise statistics of votes secured by Congress and BJP are as follows:

                   Congress     BJP               Margin

Mangaluru      113079      103824           9255 ( )

Bantwal        95315       86185             9130 ( )

Belthangady    62640      64864            2224 (-)

Puttur         57027      63543             6516  (-)

Sullia        30225       41362              11337(-)

Denying allegation by the BJP leaders on appointing the ZP president on reservation basis, he said, “We will act according to the direction of high court and if someone has any objection they can go to the court. BJP leaders should not blame us without reason. In this term in spite of having majority in the MCC, the deputy mayor position will go to BJP due to the reservation. This is the referendum. There are about 10 hung Zilla panchayats, we are confident of securing power by alliance.”

“By the result of this election, we have contemplated our position. In the coming 2.5 years of power, we will work to make the party stronger. We will work towards the development of the state. In the next assembly election we will work towards winning all the eight assembly seats in the district.”

“We might have lost because of local issues as well as policies implemented by the BJP during their government like form 9/11, Kasturi rangan report on which objection has been given to central government and on which they have to take a call, Yetthinahole project which was passed by the BJP but came to implementation in our tenure and many other local issues may be the reason for this result in Dakshina Kannada.” 

On being asked about Poojary's comment that lack of coordination between District in charge minister and MLAs resulted in the bad performance in the elections, he said, “He might have given his opinion but there was good coordination.”