The Bharatiya Janata Party failed to retain its stronghold Malnad districts of Kodagu and Chikkamagaluru as two first-time Congress candidates A.S. Ponnanna (Virajpet) and Mantar Gowda (Madikeri) ended the BJP’s 20-year run in Kodagu, while in Chikkamagaluru the saffron party lost five seats to Congress. The biggest loss was of BJP national secretary C.T. Ravi.
The hilly Kodagu district, which has two Assembly constituencies, Madikeri and Virajpet, has been a bastion of the BJP for the last two decades, with Hindutva being an important plank. But this time, the BJP faced pressure in both constituencies with anti-incumbency.
Virajpet constituency had been represented by K.G. Bopaiah. This time, Congress candidate A.S. Ponnanna won the constituency, but in a neck-to-neck fight.
