BJP aims to repeat win in K’taka’s Dakshina Kannada LS seat

Bengaluru, April 5 (IANS) Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha Seat in Karnataka is considered a bastion of the BJP as the party has remained unbeatable here since the 1991 Lok Sabha election.The parliamentary seat in the state’s coastal part has the most Hindu pilgrimage centres.The BJP has denied a ticket to three-time parliamentarian and former state president of the party, Nalin Kumar Kateel. The ticket has been allotted to a loyal party worker, fresh face, and ex-serviceman, Captain Brijesh Chowta. The Congress party has fielded R. Padmaraj, an advocate from Mangaluru city.After retiring from the Army, Captain Chowta, who hails from the influential Bunt community, was associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and later worked for the BJP party.Congress’ Padmaraj hails from the Billava community, which is dominant in the region. The Congress party wanted to field Assembly Speaker U.T. Khader from the seat considering his popularity among all sections of society. However, with Speaker Khader refusing the offer, the party had to field Padmaraj.Sources in the Congress said that Padmaraj was preferred over other minority candidates considering the chances of winning. The Congress is also playing the caste card this time to achieve victory. Sources, however, said that there is no place for caste