1952 Coorg State Legislative Assembly election

1952 Coorg Legislative Assembly election
1952 1957 →
24 seats in the Coorg Legislative Assembly
13 seats needed for a majority
Registered138,440
Turnout63.53%
  Majority party
 
Leader C. M. Poonacha
Party INC
Seats won 15
Seat change New
Popular vote 55.54%
Elected CM

C. M. Poonacha
INC

Indian administrative divisions, as of 1951

The 1952 Coorg Legislative Assembly election was held to constitute the Coorg Legislative Assembly, electing members of legislature for 18 constituencies of the erstwhile Indian State of Coorg. It took place on 27 March 1952 and a total of 87,947 people voted 24 out of 60 candidates to power. This was the only election to the assembly before the State was merged into Mysore (later renamed as Karnataka) as per the States Reorganisation Act in 1956.[1][2]

Constituencies

A total of 24 seats were up for election from 18 constituencies; six two-member constituencies and twelve single-member constituencies. No seats were reserved for Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.[3]

Contestants

Sixty candidates contested the election. The Indian National Congress presented candidates in all 24 constituencies. There were also 34 independent candidates.[3] The Takkadi Party, which campaigned against merger into Mysore State, contested as independents.[1] The Takkadi Party was led by Pandyanda Belliappa, a veteran Gandhian.[1] A third force in the election was the Communist Party of India, that only presented two candidates (C.B. Monniah in Hudikeri and B.N. Kuttappa in Siddapur).[3] No female candidates were in the fray.[3]

Results

The Indian National Congress (INC) emerged victorious, winning 15 out of the 24 seats. The INC leader C. M. Poonacha won his seat from the Berriathnad constituency, with 1,969 votes (71.37 per cent of the votes polled in the constituency). Nine independent candidates won the remaining seats. Belliappa won his seat Ammathi Nad with 1,667 votes (57.25 per cent of votes polled). INC candidates got 55.54 per cent of the votes polled statewide, independents 42.88 per cent and the two communist candidates 1.58 per cent.[3] The candidate with the highest percentage of votes polled in his favour was G. Lingarajayya, the INC candidate in Fraserpet, who polled 2,375 votes (71.64 per cent).[3]

Summary of results of the 1952 Coorg Legislative Assembly election[3]
Political party Flag Candidates Won % of
Seats		 Votes Vote %
Indian National Congress 24 15 62.50 48,845 55.54
Independent 34 9 37.50 37,716 42.88
Communist Party of India 2 0 1,386 1.58
Total 24 Voters: 138,440 Turnout 87,947 (63.53%)

Members of the Coorg Legislative Assembly, 1952

Keys:   Indian National Congress (15)   Independent (9)

No. Constituency Name of elected MLA Party affiliation
1 Sanivarasanthe P. K. Chennayya Indian National Congress
K. Mallappa Indian National Congress
2 Somwarpet North C. K. Kalappa Indian National Congress
3 Somwarpet South H. T. Muthanna Independent
4 Fraserpet G. Lingarajayya Indian National Congress
5 Sunticoppa Gundugutti Manjanathaya Indian National Congress
P. Lakha Indian National Congress
6 Mercara Town B. S. Kushalappa Indian National Congress
7 Murnad C. A. Mandanna Indian National Congress
8 Mercara Nad P. D. Subbaiah Indian National Congress
9 Srimangala Nad K. P. Karumbayya Independent
G. Subbaiah Independent
10 Hudikeri K. K. Ganapathy Independent
11 Berriath Nad C. M. Poonacha Indian National Congress
12 Ponnampet Nad Yeravara Belli Indian National Congress
P. Nanamaya Indian National Congress
13 Virajpet Town N. G. Ahamed Independent
14 Virajpet Nad Harijan Nanja Independent
P. C. Uthayya Independent
15 Ammathi Nad Pandyanda Belliappa Independent
16 Siddapur Bettakurubara Kala Indian National Congress
Muruvanda Machaiah Indian National Congress
17 Napoklu Nad A. C. Thimmaiah Independent
18 Bhagamandala Nad Konana Devaiah Indian National Congress

After the election, Poonacha formed a two-member cabinet, consisting of himself as Chief Minister and Kuttur Mallapa (elected to the assembly from the Sanivarsanthe constituency) as Home Minister.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Coorg and the reorganisation of States". C.M. Ramachandra. The Hindu. 20 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  2. ^ "Reorganisation of States, 1955" (PDF). The Economic Weekly. 15 October 1955. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Statistical Report on General Election, 1951 : To the Legislative Assembly of Coorg" (PDF). Election Commission of India. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2020.