Even as the BJP’s many experiments including that of fielding V. Somanna in Varuna and Chamarajanagar miserably failed, the party offered Puttur, the Hindutva stronghold in Dakshina Kannada, on a platter to the Congress.
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While Hindutva activist Arun Kumar Puthila was a strong contender for the BJP ticket, the party not only denied the ticket to the incumbent, Sanjeev Matandur, but fielded Asha Thimmappa, a relatively lightweight candidate from Puttur. Ashok Kumar Rai, a businessman and philanthropist, who earlier had identified himself with the Sangh Parivar, became the Congress candidate.
