The Congress has returned to the treasury benches in Mangalore City Corporation (MCC) council after a five-year break.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which broke into the citadel of the Congress by ending more than two-decade rule of the Congress in the council in 2007, lost the elections this time.
The results of March 7 elections to seven urban local bodies (ULBs), including to the MCC council, in Dakshina Kannada were declared on Monday.
Besides losing the corporation polls to the Congress, BJP also lost its hold over Puttur Town Municipal Council to the Congress. The BJP managed to retain its majority only in Sullia Town Panchayat. In all, the Congress retained four ULBs and wrested Puttur TMC from the BJP.
The Congress improved its tally from 20 to 35 in the 60-member MCC council while the BJP’s slumped from 34 to 20. The Janata Dal (Secular) retained Kudroli and added Bunder to its tally. The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) has opened its account for the first time in the corporation council by winning Katipalla North (Ward No. 5) where its candidate Ayaz defeated former Mayor Gulzaar Banu by a margin of 635 votes. Ms. Banu had become the Mayor by providence early last year as the nomination papers of the BJP candidate Roopa D. Bangera was rejected as she had not submitted her caste certificate in the prescribed format.
Ms. Bangera, who contested from Kadri North (Ward No. 32) from the BJP this time, defeated Shashikala of the Congress by a margin of 566 votes.
