Bhagirathi Murulya is an Indian politician who was first elected to office in 2023[1][2][3][4] as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly representing the Sullia constituency.[5][6][7][8][9] She is a member of the women's and children's welfare committee.[10] This seat had previously been held for six terms by Angara S., before Murulya was selected as a BJP candidate.[11][12][13][14][15][16] Murulya belongs to the Tulu-speaking Adi Dravida community,[17] and she was the poorest candidate to win a seat in the assembly.[18] Murulya had worked as a tailor and a teacher before becoming a MLA.[19] Murulya took the oath in the name of her family deity.[20]
Murulya, the BJP candidate[21][22][23] secured the seventh consecutive victory for her party in Sullia,[24][25] and became the first Dalit woman from Tulu Nadu to enter the legislative assembly. Sullia, one of 19 assembly segments in coastal Karnataka, was the only reserved constituency for a scheduled caste candidate in the election.[26] She defeated her closest rival, Krishnappa from the Congress party, by 30,864 votes, and took 57% of the vote share. Murulya had previously served as a member of the councils (panchayat) for Dakshina Kannada zilla and Sullia taluk.[1][27]