Mangalore:  V. Dhananjaya Kumar was the first to open the Bharatiya Janata Party’s account in the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency (erstwhile Mangalore Lok Sabha constituency) and held the seat for 13 years.

Mr. Kumar also takes the credit for opening the BJP’s account in the erstwhile Mangalore Assembly constituency in 1983 by defeating P.F. Rodrigues of the Congress.

Deserting the BJP in 2012 to join the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) and unable to return to the parent party apparently due to his criticism of the BJP appear to have bruised the career of this 62-year-old leader for the time being. He is all set to join the Janata Dal (Secular). Contesting as the BJP candidate in the Mangalore Lok Sabha constituency, Mr. Kumar had broken into the then citadel of the Congress by defeating B. Janardhana Poojary in 1991. Mr. Kumar defeated Mr. Poojary again in 1996 and 1998. In the 1999 elections, he defeated Congress candidate M. Veerappa Moily. In 2004, he vacated the seat to D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who defeated Mr. Moily.

The Congress had its grip over this constituency (covering both Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu districts) for long with Mr. Poojary representing it in Parliament. Mr. Poojary had won from this constituency in 1977, 1980, 1984 and 1989 elections.

Mr. Kumar joined the KJP along with B.S. Yeddyurappa thanks to his animosity towards some of the BJP leaders from Karnataka. However, with Mr. Yeddyurappa being re-inducted into the BJP and with he being denied an entry, Mr. Kumar has been compelled to knock on the doors of the JD(S) and he is likely to contest the Lok Sabha election from the Udupi-Chikmagalur constituency. A week ago, Mr. Yeddyurappa had said that BJP leaders were upset over certain remarks made by Mr. Kumar against the party.