Bengaluru: The BJP received a setback in the biennial elections to the Legislative Council from six teachers’ and graduates constituencies, winning only three seats, bringing its tally down by one. While the Congress managed to wrest one of its seats, the JD(S) won two.
The Council poll results shocked the BJP because it expected to win five of the six seats. But only three of its candidates, Dr. Y. A. Narayanaswamy, A. Devegowda and Aayanauru Manjunath managed to enter the Upper House.
Despite its clean sweep in the coastal districts in the recent Assembly elections, the party lost its stronghold of Karnataka South West Teachers’ Constituency with sitting member, Capt. Ganesh Karnik losing to Mr S.L. Bhojegowda of the JD(S) by a margin of 2578 votes. A three time MLC, Mr. Karnik appears to have faced anti-incumbency this time.
“I expected this result and I sensed there was anti-incumbency against me, but my opponent has resorted to malpractice by distributing money and other things to voters,” Mr. Karnik alleged, speaking to the Deccan Chronicle.
While the BJP had expected to retain Karnataka North- East Graduates Constituency, its candidate K.B. Srinivas lost to Dr. Chandrashekar B. Patil of the Congress by 321 votes. Earlier this constituency was represented by Mr Amarnath Patil of the saffron party for two terms.
But to the BJP’s relief its candidate, Dr. Narayanaswamy won from Karnataka South- East Teachers’ constituency against Mr Ramesh Babu of the JD(S) by a margin of 1872 votes, Mr Aayanuru Manjunatha of the party won by margin of 9093 votes against the Congress candidate in Karnataka South-West Graduates’ constituency, and in the Bengaluru Graduates’ constituency, Mr Devegowda defeated his nearest rival, Achhe Gowda Shivanna by a margin of 4864 votes.
The BJP was,however, pushed to third position in Karnataka South Teachers’ constituency, where JD(S) candidate, Marithibbegowda retained his seat by defeating Mr, M.Lakshmana of the Congress by 4217 votes.
