BJP, Congress workers mark victory in Mangaluru
Mangalore Today News Network
Mangaluru, Dec 31, 2015: Party workers and leaders of both BJP and Congress celebrated the victory of their candidates Kota Srinivas Poojary and Pratapchandra Shetty in the Legislative Council election, here on Dec 30, Wednesday.
Both the parties agents, were present at the counting centre at Lady Hill Victoria Girls Convent, consistently tracking the trends by visiting all counting tables. The counting process was over by 11.30 am and the results were clear. A significant number of party workers from both the parties too eagerly waited for the results to be declared.
As the DC announced the results, the party workers rejoiced and raised victory slogans, waving the party flags, for their party and the winning candidates. Sweets were also distributed.
District In-charge Minister B Ramanath Rai rushed to the counting centre soon after the results were announced. Rai was thronged by the partymen, who congratulated him for the victory of the party. Urban Development Minister Vinay Kumar Sorake, Minister for Health and Family Welfare U T Khader, MLC Ivan D’Souza and other leaders were present.
BJP candidate Kota Srinivas Poojary, who was present inside the counting hall, was mobbed by his followers. The partymen rejoiced upon the victory of Kota by garlanding him and placing a ’Mysuru peta’ on his head.
MLC Capt Ganesh Karnik had also brought a garland to the winning candidate from Congress Pratapchandra Shetty.
He said that he respects the mandate of the voters, who have sent a message to the society.
When Shetty arrived at the counting centre around 1.20 pm, the party workers raised slogans in his favour. They garlanded him and lifted him in joy.
The Sullia Congress Block celebrated the victory of Congress candidates. The party workers burst crackers near the bus stand. Block Congress President M Venkappa Gowda said the election results depicted the faith of people on the State government.
He thanked the voters and urged the BJP leader K S Eshwarappa, who had declared of taking retirement from politics, if the Congress party won a single seat more than the BJP. Party General Secretary P S Gangadhar, Youth Congress President Muhammed Fawaz, leaders Beera Moideen, Juliana Crasta and others were present.
Jayaprakash Hegde accepts mandate : Udupi: Independent candidate K Jayaprakash Hedge, who lost the Legislative Council election, on Dec 30, Wednesday said his defeat was not expected. However, the victory would have also been not that easy, he added. Speaking to media, Hegde, who was expelled from Congress for contesting as an independent candidate, said he was sure that if he has to win it would be only through first preferential votes. "We had two opinions and we expected the people to vote as per the opinion they gave," he said.
Asserting that he had support from all corners, he said that he was shocked to know that the support of the public did not turn into votes for him. Destiny always plays its role in politics, whether it is unexpected victory or defeat, it is totally a different ball game, he remarked.
Hegde said he could not match with other candidates in the fray in the last part of the game of politics. "As I am an independent candidate, I had to fight both against the Union and the State governments and against the policies pursued by both the governments," he said.
"The other candidates had the support from the MPs, MLAs and ministers. However, I was the lone soldier in the battle ground. I am happy with whatever number of votes I received. It was satisfactory that I could at least get so much of votes," he added. Hegde said the defeat would not deter him and he would continue in active politics. However, the future of his political career would be decided after a discussion with supporters and followers.