June 1991. Congress party returned to power with a bang within a month of Rajiv Gandhi's death. But I lost in Mangaluru. My first electoral defeat. Ram Mandir issue had taken the centre-stage then. It was the time when saffron brigade was collecting bricks and token money from people as contribution to build Ram Temple at Ayodhya. A wave was created in the country. Congress did not do anything to counter it. BJP and other right wing outfits created a big hue and cry over Hindutva. It affected my election. Political equations started changing in Coastal Karnataka. BJP and Sangh Parivar saffronized the entire belt and my defeat was result of this.

I had campaigned extensively in the Constituency. I never neglected my constituency and responded to the people's needs. But the BJP and Sangh Parivar carried out a negative campaign based on religious and communal lines. Huge amounts were spent in propagating falsehoods. I lost the election.