Nestled between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Dakshina Kannada is the only Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka having marine, air, rail, and road transport connectivity. If the BJP is trying to retain the constituency in its fold for the ninth consecutive term, the Congress is fighting to wrest the seat it lost to the saffron party 33 years ago.
The erstwhile Mangaluru constituency became Dakshina Kannada in 2009 by losing Kodagu district to the Mysuru Lok Sabha constituency following delimitation of constituencies.
The BJP, which contested its first two elections unsuccessfully in 1984 and in 1989, captured the seat in its third attempt in 1991. The seat has remained a mirage for the Congress — which had won the constituency nine times from 1951 to 1989 — since then.
