Bangarappa wins by comfortable majority of 76,145 votes

SHIMOGA, DHNS:

Memeber of Parliament in the dissolved Parliament and former chief minister S Bangarappa has won the Shimoga Parliamentary constituency by a comfortable majority of 76,145 votes.

He has defeated his nearest rival Ayanur Manjunath of the Congress party by polling 4,50,097 votes against Manjunath’s 3,73,952 votes.
The other contenders, including G Madappa of the Janata Dal (S), has polled 21,422 votes, Janata Party candidate Doddanna has polled 16,287 votes and Kannada Nadu Party candidate Chandrappa has polled 6769 votes.

The district had witnessed almost a direct fight between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress. Ayanur Manjunath who was with the Bharatiya Janata Party had joined the Congress to contest against his arch rival Bangarappa who had deserted the Congress in favour of the BJP.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party was revitalised by Bangarappa’s entry, this was not the case with the Congress. Almost all Congress leaders who visited the district harped on Bangarappa’s ‘grave mistake’ in joining the BJP and did little to project Manjunath as the viable alternative.

Anti-incumbency factor
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Ayanur Manjunath said that the very strong feeling of anti incumbency worked against him.

Thanking the voters for their support, Manjunath pointed out that he had given a very close fight to Mr Bangarappa.
He said he would remain with the Congress and work towards strengthening the party in the district.