Mangalore, April 30: District BJP leaders exuded confidence of the party emerging victorious in the South –West graduates and teachers constituency in the State Legislative Council Elections.
Addressing party workers after the inauguration of the election office for South West Council elections at the District BJP Office, on Sunday Legislative Council Chairman D H Shankar Murthy said council elections will be conducted for 20 seats which had fallen vacant after the retirement of members.
He agreed that after the drubbing received by the party in the Udupi parliament by-elections, there was a feeling that all was not well with the party. Shankar Murthy recollected that the party had been in a worse situation during the 1988 council elections.
In the assembly elections BJP faced its worst –ever humiliation and managed to retain only two seats. The number was further reduced when then BJP MLA Vasanth Bangera ditched the party to join Ramakrishna Hegde . In this background BJP faced council elections knowing that defeat was certain.
In that election, Shankarmurthy emerged victorious and went in to win four elections from graduates constituency in a row. He attributed the victory in 1988 and subsequent elections to the efforts of party workers. “If party workers lead elections from the front, I will win again by a handsome margin” he stressed.
The South- West graduates and teachers constituency covers five districts ( Shimoga,Chikmaglur, DK , Udupi, Kodagu and two taluks Honnali, Chadagiri) in Dharwad district.
The elections planned in June will cover 29 assembly segments in their constituency. As personal interaction with voters will be virtually impossible, party workers through corner meetings among others should highlight the achievements of the BJP, Stressed captain Ganesh Karnik. Contesting again from South-west teachers constituency, captain Ganesh Karnik urged voters to ensure that preferential votes were cast in his favour. District BJP president Padmanabha Kothari justified the need for an election office to co-ordinate and monitor the electioneering. The drive to include voters in the electorate list will continue upto April 30.
MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, Deputy Speaker in the Legislative Assembly N Yogish Bhat, MLA Krishna J Palemar,State BJP Vice-president Sulochana Bhat,BJP spokesperson Monnappa Bhandary and others were present.
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