Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency comprises eight assembly constituencies – Belthangady, Moodabidri, Mangalore City North (previously Surathkal), Mangalore City South (previously Mangalore), Mangalore (previously Ullal), Bantval, Puttur and Sulia. This constituency has historically been a BJP stronghold.

According to the website of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Karnataka, as of 16th January, the constituency had 16,97,417 voters – 8,33,719 male, 8,63,599 female and 99 others.

[flexiblemap src=”http://data.opencity.in/Data/Karnataka-Parliament-Constituency-Dakshina-Kannada-Map-V-1.kml” width=”100%” height=”400px” ]

Note – Map for representation purpose | Source – http://datameet.org

The constituency has been a sensitive one, vulnerable to violence and rowdyism, and parts of it — especially Mangalore city commissionerate limits have been identified as critical. Consequently, strict security arrangements and precautionary measures are in place.

Know Your Candidates

Thirteen candidates are contesting from Dakshina Kannada this time, of whom seven represent political parties and six are independents.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had rejected one nomination among the 15 filed in the constituency, and another candidate had withdrawn his nomination. There aren’t any women contesting from this constituency.

Nalin Kumar Kateel

Nalin Kumar Kateel is a second-time BJP MP from Dakshina Kannada constituency. He was elected the first time in 2009, upon defeating Congress representative Janardhana Poojary by over 40,000 votes. In 2014 he was re-elected with a bigger majority. Before 2009, he was the District General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

• Age: 52 years
• Term in Lok Sabha: 2009-2014, 2014-present
• Education: 10^th pass (SSLC) from St Philomina High School, Puttur, 1983
• Voter in: Mangaluru City South assembly constituency
• Website: http://nalinkateel.com/
• Twitter: @nalinkateel
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/kateelnalin

Pending criminal cases: Four. The cases were filed as per IPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), IPC 141/143/145/149 (related to unlawful assembly), IPC 147 (punishment for rioting), IPC 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), IPC 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), IPC 506 (criminal intimidation), IPC 268 (public nuisance).

Assets and Liabilities

Source: myneta.info

To know more about the performance of the MP in his last tenure — his attendance, his participation in question hour and debates — view his complete profile here.

Mithun Rai, INC

Mithun Rai, 35, is the Congress candidate in Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency. This is the first time Rai is contesting in a Lok Sabha election. He is currently the District Youth Congress President of Dakshina Kannada.

It has been 27 years since Congress tasted victory in the Dakshina Kannada constituency. Rai is a fresh face for the party, which had fielded the same candidate Janardhan Poojary in the last few elections, and lost. On the day of filing his nomination, Rai promised to generate employment for the youth, and build communal harmony in the region.

Endorsed by senior leaders of the party, Rai, as a youth leader, has led protests against the BJP on several issues over the years. He has been as an aspirant for several public offices too. In last year’s state assembly election, he was an aspirant for the Congress ticket to contest from Moodabidri, but his efforts turned futile. Around October 2018, the party had briefly suspended him for not being involved in its activities and for not replying to notices, but reinstated him later.

Personal information

• Age: 35
• Education: Bachelor of Business Management from SDM College of Business Management, Mangalore
• Profession: Self-employed
• Facebook: Mithun Rai
• Twitter: @TheMithunRai
• Phone: 9036903030

Pending criminal cases: One. Case filed as per IPC Section 506 (criminal intimidation), IPC 143 and 149 (related to unlawful assembly), IPC 147 (rioting), IPC 341 (wrongful restraint), IPC 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), IPC 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace). The case was filed in Mangaluru South police station, and trial is pending at the magistrate court.

Assets and Liabilities

Source: myneta.info

Positions held

• General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress (IYC), Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha Constituency, for three continuous terms from 2008 to 2010
• City President of National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) from 2006 to 2008

To know more about Mithun Rai, view his affidavit here.

Full List of Candidates

Source: https://kgis.ksrsac.in/election/

2014 Lok Sabha election

In the 2014 election, there were 15.6 lakh registered voters (7.7 lakh men and 7.9 lakh women) in the constituency. Of them, 77 percent, that is around 12 lakh people, voted. These voters comprised 5.9 lakh men, 6.1 lakh women, 463 postal voters.

Fourteen candidates had contested from the constituency overall, of whom 12 forfeited their deposits. Sitting MP Nalin Kumar Kateel of BJP had won the election, with over 53 per cent votes. The runner-up Janardhana Poojary of Congress, had won over 41 percent of votes.

Source: https://www.ceokarnataka.kar.nic.in/PCELE2019/ELECTION%20STATISTICS-2014.pdf