<p>The results of general elections in Dakshina Kannada constituency underscore the emergence of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) as a strong contender to the third position in the electoral politics after BJP and Congress in the district. The consolidation of SDPI as a political entity also witnesses the withering away of CPM in Dakshina Kannada, which has reduced to a trickle this time. <br /><br /></p>.<p>When SDPI garnered 27,254 votes (2.26 per cent) in this election, CPM has only 9,394 (0.78 per cent) in its kitty. The Left party’s tally went down almost half from what it had in alliance with JD (S) in 2009 elections, 18,328 votes (1.80 per cent). In contrast with assembly election results too, CPM faired much poorer, a decrease of 2,000 votes. Even 7,109 votes polled in favour of NOTA fly in the face of Left parties.<br /><br />SDPI no more fledgling<br /><br />SDPI, the political outfit of Popular Front of India, often branded as the RSS version of Muslim causes has hardly come under scrutiny for its communal leaning, especially in Karnataka. <br /><br />The seemingly secular formula of Muslim-Dalit-OBC being projected by the party has by and large protected them from putting in communal bracket by intellectuals and liberal thinkers, unlike in the case of Sangh Parivar affiliated organisations. <br /><br />The party which was established in 2010 has won 52 gram panchayats in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in local body elections. SDPI has won one ward in Mangalore City Corporation defeating the former Mayor in their debutant election. <br /><br />Three seats in Bantwal TMC, one each in Ullal TMC and Sullia TP heralded the arrival of party. In the first ever Assembly elections faced by the party in 2013, it made an alliance with BSP and contested in 24 constituencies in the State but lost deposit in most of the seats. In Sullia, where BJP has the single seat in Dakshina Kannada , the winning majority over Congress candidate was a slender 1,373 wherein SDPI candidate has got 2,569 votes. In Bantwal, Mangalore, Mangalore North constituencies SDPI came on third position.<br /><br />SDPI Vs CPM<br /><br />According to the poll statistics of 2014 parliament elections, CPM candidate K Yadav Shetty has come nowhere near SDPI’s Haneef Khan Kodaje in all 8 assembly seats except in Mangalore South, where Kodaje’s lead was 136 votes. In Mangalore, Bantwal, Puthur constituencies the difference was 4,051, 5,264, 2,748 votes respectively (see the box). In 2013, where CPM and SDPI were in direct fray in two seats, SDPI came at third position in Mangalore constituency followed by CPM at fourth and in Mangalore South, the exact reverse happened. The CPM was able to field candidates only in three constituencies in 2013 Assembly elections whereas SDPI contested in seven seats in the district.<br /><br />SDPI Vs JDS<br /><br />As SDPI contested in alliance with JD(S) in the constituency this time, it is difficult to estimate who enjoys an edge over the other this time in Dakshina Kannada in terms of electoral gains. <br /><br />However, going by 2013 Assembly poll results, both JD(S) and SDPI outweighed each other in three seats (JD(S)—Moodbidri, Puttur, Sullia; SDPI—Mangalore, Mangalore North, Bantwal) of the eight seats that come under Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency. In Belthangady, SDPI did not contest and in Mangalore South, both have secured equal number of votes. <br /><br />The overall voting percent in favour of JD(S) was 33.66 (in 8 seats) whereas that of SDPI was 18.91 in seven seats (excluding Belthangady). But this considerable gap of percentage wise result was chiefly for Mudbidri constituency, where JD(S) polled 15.89 per cent of votes compared to SDPI’s 2.74 per cent.<br /><br />At the same time, the JD(S) votes polled in 2013 assembly elections have not gone in favour of SDPI in 2014 general elections, though both the parties had struck an alliance in Dakshina Kannada . For instance, in Puttur, JD(S) had secured 6,625 votes and SDPI had 4,442 votes in 2013, but in parliamentary election, the alliance has only garnered 3,118 votes. <br /><br />In Sullia, JD(S) polled 8,551 and SDPI polled 2,569 votes to Assembly elections but SDPI has only 1,470 votes from Sullia segment this time.</p>
<p>The results of general elections in Dakshina Kannada constituency underscore the emergence of Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) as a strong contender to the third position in the electoral politics after BJP and Congress in the district. The consolidation of SDPI as a political entity also witnesses the withering away of CPM in Dakshina Kannada, which has reduced to a trickle this time. <br /><br /></p>.<p>When SDPI garnered 27,254 votes (2.26 per cent) in this election, CPM has only 9,394 (0.78 per cent) in its kitty. The Left party’s tally went down almost half from what it had in alliance with JD (S) in 2009 elections, 18,328 votes (1.80 per cent). In contrast with assembly election results too, CPM faired much poorer, a decrease of 2,000 votes. Even 7,109 votes polled in favour of NOTA fly in the face of Left parties.<br /><br />SDPI no more fledgling<br /><br />SDPI, the political outfit of Popular Front of India, often branded as the RSS version of Muslim causes has hardly come under scrutiny for its communal leaning, especially in Karnataka. <br /><br />The seemingly secular formula of Muslim-Dalit-OBC being projected by the party has by and large protected them from putting in communal bracket by intellectuals and liberal thinkers, unlike in the case of Sangh Parivar affiliated organisations. <br /><br />The party which was established in 2010 has won 52 gram panchayats in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in local body elections. SDPI has won one ward in Mangalore City Corporation defeating the former Mayor in their debutant election. <br /><br />Three seats in Bantwal TMC, one each in Ullal TMC and Sullia TP heralded the arrival of party. In the first ever Assembly elections faced by the party in 2013, it made an alliance with BSP and contested in 24 constituencies in the State but lost deposit in most of the seats. In Sullia, where BJP has the single seat in Dakshina Kannada , the winning majority over Congress candidate was a slender 1,373 wherein SDPI candidate has got 2,569 votes. In Bantwal, Mangalore, Mangalore North constituencies SDPI came on third position.<br /><br />SDPI Vs CPM<br /><br />According to the poll statistics of 2014 parliament elections, CPM candidate K Yadav Shetty has come nowhere near SDPI’s Haneef Khan Kodaje in all 8 assembly seats except in Mangalore South, where Kodaje’s lead was 136 votes. In Mangalore, Bantwal, Puthur constituencies the difference was 4,051, 5,264, 2,748 votes respectively (see the box). In 2013, where CPM and SDPI were in direct fray in two seats, SDPI came at third position in Mangalore constituency followed by CPM at fourth and in Mangalore South, the exact reverse happened. The CPM was able to field candidates only in three constituencies in 2013 Assembly elections whereas SDPI contested in seven seats in the district.<br /><br />SDPI Vs JDS<br /><br />As SDPI contested in alliance with JD(S) in the constituency this time, it is difficult to estimate who enjoys an edge over the other this time in Dakshina Kannada in terms of electoral gains. <br /><br />However, going by 2013 Assembly poll results, both JD(S) and SDPI outweighed each other in three seats (JD(S)—Moodbidri, Puttur, Sullia; SDPI—Mangalore, Mangalore North, Bantwal) of the eight seats that come under Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency. In Belthangady, SDPI did not contest and in Mangalore South, both have secured equal number of votes. <br /><br />The overall voting percent in favour of JD(S) was 33.66 (in 8 seats) whereas that of SDPI was 18.91 in seven seats (excluding Belthangady). But this considerable gap of percentage wise result was chiefly for Mudbidri constituency, where JD(S) polled 15.89 per cent of votes compared to SDPI’s 2.74 per cent.<br /><br />At the same time, the JD(S) votes polled in 2013 assembly elections have not gone in favour of SDPI in 2014 general elections, though both the parties had struck an alliance in Dakshina Kannada . For instance, in Puttur, JD(S) had secured 6,625 votes and SDPI had 4,442 votes in 2013, but in parliamentary election, the alliance has only garnered 3,118 votes. <br /><br />In Sullia, JD(S) polled 8,551 and SDPI polled 2,569 votes to Assembly elections but SDPI has only 1,470 votes from Sullia segment this time.</p>