Karnataka Assembly Election 2023: BJP’s firm grip on coastal districts seems to be weakening

The BJP retained 6 out of eight seats in Dakshina Kannada district, all 5 seats in Udupi and only two of 6 seats in Uttara Kannada

Out of the 19 seats in Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada and Udupi districts, the BJP has won in 13 constituencies. In 2018, the party had won 17 seats in the region. Sources in the party say that besides anti-incumbency, there was large-scale discontent over the selection of candidates that caused a reduction in its seat share.

The BJP has managed to retain six out of eight assembly constituencies in Dakshina Kannada (DK) district, all five of its seats in Udupi and only two of six seats in Uttara Kannada (UK) district.

This year, Congress’ tally in the region increased to six seats. The Congress retained Mangalore and wrested Puttur from DK from the BJP. In Uttara Kannada, the Congress wrested Karwar, Bhatkal and Sirsi from the BJP.

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BJP versus BJP in Puttur

In DK, BJP’s caste calculations faltered when the party decided to field former zilla panchayat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda from the Puttur Assembly constituency. Arun Kumar Putthila, from the Brahmin community, decided to contest as an independent candidate after being denied a ticket by the party.

Thus, in a contest between the BJP, Congress and Putthila, it was Congress candidate Ashok Kumar Rai who emerged victorious, with a margin of 4,149 votes. Incidentally, Rai had recently quit BJP after the party did not grant him a ticket.

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In Udupi, BJP candidates, riding the Hindutva wave, won the Udupi, Brahmavar, Kundapur and Kaup Assembly seats with a comfortable margin. Former Energy Minister V Sunil Kumar managed to get elected for a third time. However, his victory margin of 42,566 votes in the 2018 elections fell to 4,602 votes in the 2023 elections.

In UK, even with BJP's star Hindutva campaigner and MP Ananth Kumar staying away from campaigning, the party managed to retain Kumta and Yellapur Assembly seats.

Six-time MLA and Speaker of the 23rd Legislative Assembly, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri lost to Bhimanna Naik from the Congress. Kageri had won from the Sirsi Assembly constituency by defeating his Congress opponent by a margin of 17,257 votes in 2018. However, this year, he was defeated by Bhimanna Naik by a margin of 8,712 votes.

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Party sources say Congress guarantee schemes motivated voters to cast their votes in favour of the party. Political scientist Sandeep Shastri says besides the anti-incumbency wave, there were other issues that reduced the seats of BJP. Particularly, large-scale discontent over the selection of candidates may have caused the shift.

While members of organisations involved in campaigning are from one community, the tickets are given to different communities, he adds. “It is because of this factor, the social coalition, that is, the coming together of different groups, was missing in this elections.”

He also points out that voter turnout in DK district was less compared to other districts. "Hardcore supporters of BJP stayed at home and did not step out to vote," says Shastri.