Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Sep 4: In the election held to the city municipal council here for 31 wards, 25 were annexed by BJP, while Congress succeeded in retaining only five out of the 15 seats it had won earlier. The remaining lone seat went to SDPI.

Congress had gained upper hand in the municipal election held in 2013. The number of wards then was 27, and the Congress bad bagged 15 seats. SDPI has opened account for the first time here this time.

Jeevandhar Jain, who is the former president and vice president of the municipal council and current councillor, won for the fifth time. BJP city Mahila Morcha president, Vidyagauri and city Mandal unit secretary, Gauri Bannur, have come out victorious. BJP current councillor, Yashoda Poojary, won for the third time. Yashoda Vishwanath Gowda has won for the third time. Shaila Pai of the Congress won for the second time. Deeksha Pai, who was accused of anti party activities after winning with Congress ticket last time and had lost her council membership after she supported BJP in presidential election, fought with BJP ticket this time and tasted success.

Former Puttur block Congress committee president, Sutrabettu Jagannath Rai, who also was a former municipal president, lost the election for the third time with a margin of only 11 votes in ward No. 11 where BJP's Prem Kumar won with 376 votes. . Ramesh Rai of the BJP, who had been elected twice to the council, lost this time. SDPI's lone councillor happens to be Fathimath Zahura. Fathimath, who fought from ward No. 5, secured 448 votes and defeated her nearest rival, Veenakshi S Poojary of the BJP with a margin of 26 votes.