Mangaluru : As many as 210 candidates will contest from 36 constituencies of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat, while 562 candidates are in the fray from 136 constituencies of the Mangaluru Taluk Panchayat. The elections to the zilla panchayat and taluk panchayat will be held on February 20.

As many as 63 candidates are contesting from 10 ZP seats in Mangaluru taluk. Of this, 11 are from the Congress, 24 are from the Bharatiya Janata Party, six are from the Janata Dal (Secular), seven are from the CPI (M), five are from the SDPI, one is each from the CPI and the Hindustan Janata Party and eight are Independents.

Of the 48 contesting for nine ZP seats from Bantwal Taluk, 13 are from the Congress, 21 are from the BJP, two each are from the Janata Dal (Secular) and the BSP, three are from the SDPI, one is from the CPI (M) and six are Independents. Fifteen candidates from Congress, 12 from the BJP, three each from the JD (S) and CPI (M), two from the Samyukta Janata Dal and 10 independents are contesting in seven seats from Beltangady Taluk. Eleven each from the Congress and the BJP, two from the JD (S), two from the BSP, two from the SDPI and seven Independents are contesting in six seats from Puttur Taluk. Of the 20 candidates for four seats from Sullia, five each are from the Congress, the BJP, and the JD(S).

As many as 175 from Congress, 213 from BJP, 29 from JD(S), 40 from the SDPI, 25 from the CPI (M), four each from the BSP and CPI and three from Samyukta Janata Dal are contesting in the 136 taluk panchyat seats.