New Delhi: In another blow to the Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government, the Bharatiya Janata Party has won all four Town Panchayats—located in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, and Bengaluru Rural—that went to polls earlier this year.
This comes at a time when the ruling Congress, which previously held two of these four Town Panchayats, is grappling with several issues, including internal tussles such as the Siddaramaiah-Shivakumar feud and allegations of financial mismanagement.
The four Town Panchayats have 76 wards combined. The BJP won 47 of them.
While the BJP won two Town Panchayats in Dakshina Kannada and one Town Panchayat each in Uttara Kannada and Bengaluru Rural, it was the party’s Bashettihalli (Bengaluru Rural) victory that was unprecedented.
Bashettihalli is widely known as the bastion of Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar and his brother, former parliamentarian D.K. Suresh.
“The resounding @BJP4Karnataka victories in Bajape, Kinnigoli, Manki and Bashettihalli across the Bhatkal, Moodbidre and Doddaballapura assembly constituencies, along with the two ward by-elections in Doddaballapura and Turvihala, reflect the people’s clear rejection of the Congress government’s failures and misgovernance in Karnataka,” B.Y. Vijayendra, the state BJP chief, said in an X post after the results.
“Even in Bhatkal, represented by a minister from @INCKarnataka, voters decisively rejected the ruling party, underscoring the strong anti-incumbency sentiment across the state,” he added.
‘A warning’
Of the 19 wards in Bajpe Town Panchayat of Dakshina Kananda, the BJP won 11. The Congress tally dropped to four wards. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) won three wards. An independent candidate won another ward in Bajpe Town Panchayat, created by merging the Bajpe and Malvoor Gram Panchayats in April 2021.
In Kinnigoli Town Panchayat of Dakshina Kannada, the BJP won 10 out of the 18 wards, and the Congress won eight, including unopposed seats.
In Uttara Kannada’s Manki, the BJP won 12 of 20 wards. The rest went to the Congress.
Across the five city municipal corporations in Bengaluru, the BJP saw success. It also logged wins in the bypolls in Doddaballapura Town Panchayat, Bengaluru Rural, and Turvihal Town Panchayat, Raichur.
“@BJP4India continues its winning streak in local body elections across the country. Today, it is Karnataka under the @INCIndia rule with ballot paper. Team @BJP4Karnataka under State President Sri @BYVijayendra wins all 5 Town Panchayats & 2 ward by-elections convincingly,” B.L. Santhosh, BJP national general secretary (organisation), said in a post.
Facing defeats in crucial seats piles on the Congress’s troubles, which so far have included an intensifying feud between Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar for dominance and charges of corruption. The party’s flagship guarantees have also lost their sheen over time.
Before these polls, there had been no elections to Zila Panchayats and Town Panchayats under the Siddaramaiah government, with Bengaluru, India’s IT capital, not having an elected council since September 2020.
“This is a warning sign for the Congress of ouster. If it continues its infighting for power, it’s guaranteed to be sent home,” R. Ashoka, the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka legislative assembly, told reporters Wednesday.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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