Mangalore: BJP Snatches MLC Seat from Congress - K S Poojary Wins
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (GA)
Mangalore, Jun 29: BJP once again proved that it has strong vote bank in coastal district by winning the lone MLC seat on Saturday June 28. The seat which was vacated by the demise of Blasius M D’Souza of Congress has now been snatched by BJP. Election for the same seat was held on Thursday June 26.
BJP's candidate Kota Srinivas Poojary who is also Udupi district BJP president won the seat by a thin margin of 293 votes over his rival candidate Nityanand Mundodi of Congress. Out of the 6026 votes, BJP managed to garner 3110 while Congress earned 2817 votes. A total of 99 votes were rejected.
JD (S), which has in the last few years had formed coalition governments with BJP and Congress, did play a decisive role in this election, sources said. Since JDS voters were asked to go as per their conscience, it was expected that they would vote for Congress. But the results now clearly indicate that JD (S) voted BJP. Though BJP and JD (S) coalition does not exist at the state-level, it does exist in the Dakshina Kannada zilla panchayat and other local bodies.
Elsewhere in the state Sushil Namoshi of BJP won the election for the third consecutive time. BJP also pocketed one more when Mohan Limbekai defeated Congress leader H K Patil. However, JD (S) candidate Puttanna cantered to victory in Bangalore teachers' constituency defeating BJP candidate Neelaiah.