Mangalore: GP Election Results – People Breathe Fresh Life into Congress Hopes
Pics by Spoorthy Ullal & Hemanath Padubidri
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)
Mangalore, May 18: Counting of votes relating to the Gram Panchayat (GP) election held recently, was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, both in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts on Monday May 17. The results indicate that the candidates supported by the Congress have got an upper hand in Dakshina Kannada district, although party politics and usage of party symbols are barred in the GP elections. In Udupi, both the Congress and the BJP appear to be placed on an equal footing.
The counting was conducted in two phases in the morning and in the afternoon. As the counting progressed at a slow pace, first results came out only in the evening. The officials said that the delay was inevitable, as they had to scrutinize the results with the reservation parametres before announcing them. Out of 22 gram panchayat results announced by 6 pm, the Congress had got a lead in 11 GPs, BJP in six, while the JDS in one. In four panchayats, no particular party could get clear majority.
Out of 910 seats relating to Dakshina Kannada district, results of which came out by 8 pm, Congress got 444 seats as against 346 of the BJP. 86 seats went to the JDS. About 40 independents have also registered victory. In Puttur taluk, Congress-supported candidates got a stronghold in 19 of the 37 GPs. BJP, which suffered serious setback, could get majority in only 15 GPs. In Bantwal taluk, Congress-supported candidates wrested control in 28 of the 46 results that came out. BJP could hold on to only 17 GPs. In Sullia too, Congressmen continued to register impressive victories, bagging 16 GPs as against eight by the BJP. In Beltangady, BJP performed impressively by gaining stronghold in 17 GPs as against 14 by the Congress.
Out of the 143 GPs in Udupi district, both the parties claimed that they would be able to control a majority of the GPs. While the Congress said that their candidates have got majority in 75 GPs, BJP stated it has stronghold in 67 GPs. In Kundapur taluk, Congress bagged nine GPs while BJP mustered majority in 11, retaining the same number of GPs as in the previous election, although they swapped two GPs in the bargain.
In spite of the enforcement of prohibitory orders, enthusiastic fans were seen garlanding victorious candidates and taking them in a procession, immediately after the announcement of results.
A candidate named Subhash Shetty supported by the BJP in Kemral GP, had died in an accident in Nidle just before the election. However, during the counting, he was found to have got highest votes. In Amblagmogaru GP, Congress-supported candidate, Ramesh Poojary, lost against the BJP candidate by a single vote. In Haleangady panchayat, the fate of a candidate was decided by the draw of lots, as both Kasim Saheb and Padmanabh Navilkar polled equal number of votes. Kasim was declared the winner after the toss.