In the keenly fought by - election, Congress has retained the Ullala constituency in Dakshina Kannada district.

The counting of votes polled on June 3 was held in Mangalore today under tight security.

U. T. Khader of Congress defeated his nearest BJP rival Chandrashekhar Uchchil by a margin of 8,032 votes. Khader polled 46,271 votes while Uchchil 38,239 vote.

Abubaker Natekal of JD (S), coalition partner, finished third by securing 6,217 votes. He lost his deposit. CPI (M) candidate J. Balakrishna Shetty who polled 4,807 has also lost his deposit. Though the BJP initially recorded lead in the first four rounds, the Congress candidate overtook his nearest rival and maintained comfortable lead as the counting progressed.

The seat was vacant following the death of U. T. Fareed, father of U. T. Khader.

Third victory:
Late U. T. Fareed had won the previous Assembly election by a margin of 7,000 votes defeating the same BJP rival Uchchil. He had polled 47,839 and Uchchil had secured 40,491 votes. This is the third victory for Fareed's family. Late U. T. Fareed had represented this constituency twice.

Congress jubilant:
Thousands of Congress activists celebrated the victory of their candidate outside the counting centre soon after the results were announced. They burst crackers and distributed sweets to the members of the public and also among themselves. Similar scenes were also witnessed in the KPCC premises here.

“No threat to Government”: CM
The Congress leaders' prediction that Ullal poll outcome would break the BJP – JD (S) coalition is just silly, remarked the Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy here.

Talking to media persons after the election results were announced, he said that the Ullal outcome posed no threat to the Government headed by him.

In the Assembly polls of 2004, the Congress party had gone to the voters on its own. The later developments are known to everyone. The party did not get majority.

Polls and Government are entirely different, Kumaraswamy remarked.

Kumaraswamy observed:
"The constituency is pro - Congress. Even the previous MLA belonged to the party. Sympathy wave is also the factor to be reckoned with. There is no need for any special analysis of the voting pattern. Our party faced the poll fairly without bothering about the false propaganda by the opposition parties. However, I complement the winning candidate."

Courtesy: Star of Mysore