BJP Strengthens Base in Coastal Karnataka With Town Panchayat Victories
The BJP also performed well in the local body by-elections, winning ward-level polls in Bengaluru Rural and Raichur districts
Mangaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerged victorious in the 2025 local body general elections in Coastal Karnataka, winning three Town Panchayats and strengthening its organisational base in the region.
Elections were held to the Kinnigoli and Bajpe Town Panchayats in Dakshina Kannada district and the Manki Town Panchayat in Uttara Kannada district.
The BJP secured a clear majority in the Bajpe Town Panchayat by winning 11 of the 19 wards, while the Congress won four wards, the SDPI three and one seat went to an independent candidate.
The Bajpe Town Panchayat election also saw a few closely fought contests. In Ward No 9 (General), BJP candidate Ritesh Shetty won by a slender margin, polling 160 votes against SDPI’s Mahammad Rafiq, who secured 159 votes.
A similar situation played out in Ward No 10 (Category A), where BJP’s Jayant S Poojary Mundaru won a tight contest with 301 votes, edging out SDPI candidate Mohammad Nazeer, who polled 296 votes. Jayant’s victory margin was five votes.
The BJP emerged victorious in Kinnigoli Town Panchayat, where it won 10 of the 18 wards, with the Congress bagging the remaining eight.
In Uttara Kannada district, the BJP won a majority in the Manki Town Panchayat, securing 12 of the 20 wards, while the Congress won eight seats.
Meanwhile in Bengaluru Rural district, the BJP dominated the Bashettihalli Town Panchayat by winning 15 of the 19 wards. The Congress managed to secure three seats, while one ward was won by an independent candidate.
The BJP also performed well in the local body by-elections, winning ward-level polls in Bengaluru Rural and Raichur districts. In Doddaballapur municipal limits of Bengaluru Rural, the party won Ward No 21, while in Raichur district it emerged victorious in a ward no 4 of Turvihala Town Panchayat.
Reacting to the results, BJP National General Secretary (Organizing) BL Santosh lauded the party’s performance.
“BJP continues winning streak in local body elections across country. Today it is Karnataka under Congress rule with ballot paper,” he posted on X.
“Team BJP under state president BY Vijayendra wins all 5 Town Panchayat and 2 ward by elections convincingly,” he added.
Mangaluru Vibhag Prabhari and senior BJP leader Uday Kumar Shetty expressed happiness over the result.
“This reflects the confidence of the people, especially the younger generation, in the BJP. People have supported development and good governance, and we will strive to live up to their expectations,” Uday Kumar Shetty told Deccan Chronicle.
