Puttur: Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party registered a thumping victory in Puttur by winning 25 out of 31 seats in the elections held to the City Municipal Council while the ruling coalition partner Congress failed to retain Ullal CMC, the home turf of district in-charge Minister U.T. Khader.

Elections to Bantwal Town Municipal Council too threw fractured verdict with the Congress winning 12 seats, the BJP 11 and the Social Democratic Party of India 4 seats in the 27-member council.

Though in majority with 15 seats in the erstwhile 27-member Puttur CMC, the BJP had to sit in the opposition while the Congress with 12 members ruled the city owing to the reservation factor. Only 5 Congress members got elected this time while the SDPI opened its account with one seat.

The rumblings within the Congress soon came out with former Block Congress President Kavu Hemanath Shetty lashing out at former MLA T. Shakuntala Shetty for the débâcle.

Mr. Shetty, who had raised voice soon after the party finalised the candidates, on Monday told reporters he would urge party leaders to expel Ms. Shetty from the party. He said Ms. Shetty’s move to deny tickets to veteran workers, including H. Mohammed Ali, former CMC President Jayanthi Balnad and others and fielding her own candidates was the reason for the pathetic performance.

Workers are disassociating from the party because of her autocratic nature, he alleged justifying demand for Ms. Shetty’s expulsion.

Puttur MLA and BJP district President Sanjeev Matandur told reporters that the party is committed to provide efficient, transparent and clean administration to citizens. Thanking the electorate for giving the BJP a decisive mandate, he said Puttur has now become ‘Congress-mukta.’

He said single-window system for disposal of applications would be introduced at the CMC soon even as all the 31 wards would equally be treated in terms of development.

Winning candidates held a victory procession in the town and offered prayers at the Mahalingeshwara temple. They are also learnt to have decided to offer their refundable election deposit for Kodagu flood relief works.

Having won 13 out of 31 seats of Ullal CMC, the Congress would sit in the opposition as it is not hungry for power, said Mr. Khader. The BJP and the SDPI have won 6 seats each, the JD(S) 4, and independents 2.

It is said that a few Congress leaders joining the JD(S) and robust ground work by SDPI were the reasons for Congress’ débâcle.

The minister told reporters that local party leaders would take a call on Bantwal TMC.