The BJP's performance in the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat and taluk panchayat elections has delighted the BJP while the Opposition parties have accepted the verdict.
J. Krishna Palemar, district in-charge minister: “Our party has received an overwhelming support from the people. This has increased my responsibility. I will have to concentrate more on development at the village level. Not winning all the three zilla panchayat seats and eight taluk panchayat seats in my Mangalore North constituency is not a matter of concern. The seats that we have won are as per our calculations. We have been able to decimate the Janata Dal (Secular).”
N. Yogish Bhat, BJP MLA, Mangalore (South): “The much discussed corruption charges against Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and his cabinet colleagues have not had any impact on the voters. They are bothered more about local problems such as water supply and roads. By preferring our party, people have lauded the development initiatives taken by our Government. We will work for strengthening the three-tier panchayat raj system and develop Dakshina Kannada as a model district.”
Ramanath Rai, president, Dakshina Kannada Congress Committee: “The result is not a failure of the party. The performance of the BJP is similar to that of our party when S.M. Krishna and N. Dharam Singh were chief ministers. The BJP has misused the official machinery and has spent money to get its candidates elected. Names of many voters have been deleted. Money has been given to people in exchange for voter identity cards. Our party has given a close fight in many of the constituencies.”
M.P. Sadashiva, president, Dakshina Kannada Janata Dal (Secular): “Yes we have to accept the defeat. We were the king makers last time. There is no reflection on the B.S. Yeddyurappa government's poor performance in the district, which is BJP's bastion. I feel disappointed that learned people of Dakshina Kannada have voted in favour of a party whose party men have been accused of corruption.”
K. Padmanabha Kottari, president, Dakshina Kannada BJP: “The overwhelming seats that we have got is in no way linked to the Hindu samajotsavas which were held across the district. Elections cannot be linked with samajotsavas, which was an event to bring Hindus together. Our performance is a reflection of the people-friendly actions of our Government and work put in by our party men.
The elected panchayat members will focus on basic issues of people such as provision of drinking water, better roads and electricity supply. This will address many of the problems at the grass-roots level.
