Mangaluru (DHNS): Riding on the Hindutva and Modi wave, the BJP succeeded in retaining six out of eight Assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada district on Saturday.

In 2018 Assembly elections, the BJP had won seven seats and in the 2023 Assembly elections, BJP won six seats, losing the Puttur Assembly constituency to the Congress.

Welcoming the outcome, BJP district president Sudarshan Moodbidri said nationalism, organising power of party workers, support of Hindu organisations had helped the candidates to win elections in the district. “Development works carried out by the BJP MLAs in the last five years had helped them in their re-election from the district. “The results across state was unexpected and we accept the mandate,” he said.

Disappointed over the Congress performance in DK, DK DCC president Harish Kumar told DH: “We will introspect on our results in DK and Udupi. The BJP has been banking on Hindutva and was engaged in raking up emotional issues across the districts. The people in the state have accepted our guarantee schemes and given us a majority,” he said.

Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai won the elections in the first attempt from Puttur constituency and U T Khader of Congress won for the fifth consecutive term in Mangalore constituency.

BJP retained its seats in Bantwal, Sullia, Mangalore City North, Mangalore City South, Belthangady and Moodbidri. In Bantwal, sitting MLA Rajesh Naik U won by a margin of 8,282 votes against Congress candidate Ramanath Rai. He polled 93,324 votes and Rai secured 85,042 votes. SDPI candidate — Ilyas Thumbe secured 5,436, AAP candidate Purushotham Gowda (495), Prakash Gomes of JD(S) (454) and NOTA — 821 votes.

In Mangalore City North, Dr Y Bharath Shetty won with a margin of 32,922 against Congress candidate Innayat Ali. Dr Shetty secured 1,03,531 votes, while Ali secured 70,609. While JD(S) candidate Mohiyuddin Bava polled 5,256 votes and 1,194 votes were NOTA. There were total of 10 candidates in the fray.

1,203 votes for NOTA

D Vedavyasa Kamath won with a margin of 23,962 votes against Congress candidate J R Lobo in Mangalore City South. Kamath had polled 91,437 votes and Lobo secured 67,475 votes. NOTA with 1,203 votes was placed in the third. A total of eight candidates were in fray in the constituency.

In Belthangady, BJP’s Harish Poonja won with a margin of 18,216 against Congress new face Rakshith Shivaram. Poonja had polled 1,01,004, while Rakshith secured 82,788 votes. SDPI candidate Akbar has secured 2,513 votes. NOTA has secured 892 votes. There were eight candidates in the fray.

In Moodbidri, Umanath Kotian of the BJP won for the second consecutive term with a margin of 22,468 votes against Congress’ new face Mithun Rai. Kotian secured 86,925, while his opponent Rai secured 64,457. SDPI candidate Alphonso secured 3,617 votes and NOTA polled 837 votes. There were total of 8 candidates in the fray.

Ashok Kumar Rai polled 66,607 votes in Puttur and defeated. BJP rebel independent candidate Arun Kumar Puthila by a margin of 4,149 votes. BJP’s Asha Thimmappa Gowda by polling 37,558 votes, was placed in the third position. Shafi Bellare from SDPI, who was arrested by the NIA in connection with the murder of Praveen Nettaru, has been successful in securing 2,788 votes. 866 votes were polled in favour of NOTA.

BJP’s Bhagirathi Murulya from Sullia won with a margin of 30,874 against Congress candidate Krishnappa. Murulya polled 93,911 votes, while Krishnappa secured 63,037 votes. NOTA polled 2,562 votes in the constituency.