Karnataka Legislative Council elections | BJP rebel and Udupi ex-MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat loses in South West Graduates’ constituency

Former Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat was placed in the third position.

Former Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat, who contested the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ constituency as an independent candidate, was placed in the third position. Mr. Bhat, a three-term MLA, got 7,039 votes of the 61,382 valid votes cast in the constituency.

The BJP candidate Dr. Dhananjaya Sarji, a doctor from Shivamogga, won the polls by defeating Congress candidate Ayanur Manjunath by a margin of 24,111 votes. Dr. Sarji got 37,627 votes while Mr. Manjunath secured 13,516 votes.

Of the total 66,497 votes cast in the constituency, 5,115 votes were rejected.

S. P. Dinesh, who was the rebel candidate of the Congress in the same constituency too lost. He got 2,518 votes, and was placed in fourth position.

Mr. Manjunath, who had won the seat earlier on the BJP ticket six years ago, resigned a year ago, quit the BJP and had joined the Congress.

The results were declared late on June 6 in Mysuru where the counting was held. The Regional Commissioner of Mysuru G. C. Prakash, who was the Election Officer, announced the results.

Mr. Bhat, who has been expelled from the BJP, had accused the BJP of fielding a junior. He pointed out that Dr. Sarji had joined the saffron party a year ago, just ahead of the Assembly elections in May 2023. He would not have contested the polls had the BJP fielded a senior worker of the party.