Social and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Kota Srinivas Pujari and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Manjunath Bhandari registered easy victories in the Legislative Council elections on Tuesday from the local bodies constituencies of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi.
Neither party fielded another candidate, so victory was certain. But Mr. Pujari and Mr. Bhandari could have been elected unopposed for the entry of Shafi Bellare of the Social Democratic Party of India.
While Mr. Pujari got 3,672 votes, Mr. Bhandari got 2,079 and Mr. Bellare got 204 votes. 56 votes were declared invalid. Altogether 6,011 votes were cast. Returning Officer and Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner KV Rajendra announced that both the candidates have won by first preferential votes.
Poll observer and government secretary Capt. Manivannan, Udupi Deputy Commissioner M. Kurma Rao, Dakshina Kannada Zilla Parishad CEO Kumara, DK additional DC and Udupi Channabasappa and Balakrishna, Mangaluru, Puttur and Kundapura assistant commissioners C. Madan Mohan, Yatheesh Ullal And during the counting of votes, K. Raju and other officials were present.
Mr. Pujari is being elected to the Legislative Council for a third full term, first in 2010 and 2016. He was elected to the council in 2009 in a by-election from the same constituency after the death of Blasius D’Souza. He has previously been the Leader of the Opposition in the Council and is currently the Leader of the House.
After conducting extensive research in rural development and panchayat raj and obtaining a doctorate degree from Madurai Kamaraj University, Mr. Bhandari entered public life during his student days. He is also a sportsperson and the President of Dakshina Kannada Amateur Athletics Association. Bhandari Foundation runs the Sahyadri College of Engineering and Management in Mangaluru.
South Canara District Central Cooperative Bank chairman MN Rajendra Kumar’s withdrawal from the fray even before the filing of nominations is said to have paved the way for victory for both the candidates, especially the Congress.
After Mr. Kumar announced he would contest as an independent to represent the cooperative sector, KPCC president DK Shivakumar held a meeting with him. Thereafter, Cooperative Minister ST Somashekar made an veiled threat to remove the chairman for alleged irregularities.
Having a large following in the cooperative and SHG sectors, Mr. Kumar’s candidature must have dented the prospects of the national parties.
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