Karnataka

BJP sweeps Mangaluru City Corporation election

From our online archive

MANGALURU: BJP trounced Congress in the crucial Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) election for which the counting of votes is underway. 

In the 60 ward corporation, BJP won 44, while Congress came a far second with 14 seats. SDPI won 2. JD(S) which had contested 14 seats drew a blank. 

The results are on expected lines and sources said the since the party is in power at the state and Centre also worked for its advantage. The Ayodhya verdict that was announced just three days before the polling took place for MCC is also said to have helped the BJP to achieve power in MCC. 

For the record, it is for the second time that BJP has come to power in the MCC out of seven elections held so far. 

For Congress, that has won five times, it is a big setback. 

After losing the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha seat and seven out of eight assembly seats in the district in last elections, MCC was its last hope. Dissent in the party over the distribution of tickets appears to be a factor for the defeat. 

Veteran Congress leader B Janardhan Poojary had openly criticised the party leadership for ignoring the loyal party workers and had warned that the party will pay for it. 

For BJP, it is the first win for Nalin Kumar Kateel who a few months ago was appointed as the state party president.

SCROLL FOR NEXT