Bengaluru, Oct 24 (IANS) The BJP candidate Kishore Kumar Puttur has won the bypolls held from the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities Constituency with a margin of over 1,697 votes, sources confirmed on Thursday.

Kishore was polled 3,655 votes and Congress candidate Raju Poojari was polled 1,958 votes. The SDPI’s Anwar Sadat got 195 votes. A total of 5,819 votes were not considered. The official statement is yet to be released.

The election was held following Kota Srinivas Poojari, who represented the seat successfully contested the Lok Sabha election from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Parliamentary seat. The election was held on October 21.

State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra stated, “Congratulations to BJP candidate Shri Kishore Kumar Puttur on achieving a resounding victory in the by-election to the Karnataka Legislative Council from the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi Local Authorities Constituency.”

Vijayendra added that Kishore Kumar Puttur, who has won in the exemplary style of the previous representative, BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, is expected to respond to the concerns of local representatives and represent the principles of the party and the interests of the people in the council.

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the local representatives of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, as well as to the party workers,” he stated.

Vijayendra further stated that this victory is a gift from the voters in response to the Congress government's failures.

He further mentioned that Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have once again proven to be BJP strongholds. This victory will also boost the party's momentum to win the upcoming by-elections in three assembly constituencies in the state.

Former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has also congratulated the winning candidate Kishore Kumar Puttur in the Dakshina Kannada-Udupi Local Body election.