The former Minister Ramachandra Gowda of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday was declared elected from the Bangalore Graduates' Constituency.
He has now been elected to the Legislative Council for the fifth time.
Mr. Ramachandra Gowda garnered 8,461 votes, defeating his nearest rival A. Deve Gowda of the Janata Dal (Secular) by a narrow margin of 243 votes. Mr. Ramachandra Gowda had resigned as Minister after his alleged involvement in irregularities in the appointment of faculty members to medical colleges. A few days before the election, he had also resigned from the post of Deputy Chairman of the State Planning Board.
A total of 16 candidates, including Lok Satta Party candidate Ashwini Mahesh, contested the elections.
Mr. Ramachadra Gowda, who holds an engineering degree, was first elected to the Legislative Council from Bangalore Graduates' Constituency in 1988. He was re-elected in 1994, 2000 and 2006.
He held the portfolios of Small Savings, Lottery, Science and Technology in the JD(S)-BJP coalition government. As Minister for Lottery, he banned the entire lottery system, including play-win lottery in the State.
With his victory, BJP candidates emerged victorious in five out of six graduates and teachers' constituencies, which went to polls on June 10.
Marithibbe Gowda of the JD(S) captured the South Teachers' Constituency. The Congress received a drubbing in all six constituencies.
The other BJP candidates that won the elections are Y.A. Narayanaswamy from South-East Teachers' Constituency; Legislative Council Chairman D.H. Shankaramurthy from South-West Graduates' constituency; Captain Ganesh Karnik from South-West Teachers' constituency; and Amarnath Patil from North-East Graduates' Constituency.
