Elections 98

State:	Karnataka
Constituency:	Chikmagalur
Total Votes Polled:	727521
Winner: BJP	Sreekantappa D C	316137
Runner Up: INC	M Veerappa Moily	263641
Margin: 52496 (17%)

Elections 96

State:	Karnataka
Constituency:	Chikmagalur
Total Votes Polled:	649775
Winner: JD	B L Shankar	195857
Runner Up: INC	D K Taradevi Siddartha	191798
Margin: 4059 (0.64%)

The constituency that elected Indira Gandhi in 1978, thereby altering the political landscape forever. Quite naturally, since the constituency had voted non-Congress only once in its history. In 1991 the BJP was in second place with 36.5 % of the votes, but in 1996 it was the Janata Dal's R L Shankar who romped home. The BJP's share of the vote declined to 23.93 %.