The Hindu
Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje                                                                     

MANGALORE, Aug 25: S. Praddep Kumar Kalkura has been elected president of Dakshina Kannada District Sahitya Parishat, for a third term, in the election held here on Sunday.

The then president of the State Kannada Sahitya Parishat Harikrishna Punaroor had nominated Mr. Kalkura as president of Dakshina Kannada unit in 2001. He was elected unopposed as president of the parishat here in 2004. K. Raju Mogaveera, Election Officer, said that Mr. Kalkura defeated M.B. Sadashiva by a margin of 420 votes. Of the 1,654 voters in the district, 825 (50.12 per cent) cast their votes. Four votes were rejected.

Mr. Kalkura secured 620 votes to Mr. Sadashiva’s 200. Mr. Kalkura secured 189 votes in the booth at Mangalore and in the other booth comprising Puttur, Sullia, Belthangady and Bantwal taluks, he secured 70, 26, 110 and 126 votes, respectively. After his election, Mr. Kalkura told presspersons that he would work for the promotion of Kannada.

Mudrady in Udupi

Our Udupi Staff Correspondent reports: Writer Ambatanaya Mudrady was elected as president of Udupi District Kannada Sahitya Parishath here on Sunday. He defeated his only rival K.S. Karanth by 13 votes.

Election Officer and Udupi Tahsildar V.B. Fernandes, Mr. Mudrady secured 247 votes to Dr. Karanth’s 234.

The election recorded a 55 per cent polling with 485 of the 853 voters exercising their franchise in the district. Four votes were rejected. Mr. Mudrady was thrice elected as the president of Karkala Taluk Kannada Sahitya Parishath. He presided over the third Karkala Taluk Sahitya Sammelan. During his tenure as president of Karkala parishath for nine years, he organised eight taluk sahitya sammelans.