UDUPI/MANGALURU: With Assembly elections approaching, the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada units of Sri Rama Sene have urged the BJP not to field candidates from the Karkala constituency and instead support Sene chief Pramod Mutalik.
Sene Udupi district unit spokesperson Sharath Poojary said Mutalik will contest the elections from Karkala as an Independent candidate.
“If the BJP has any presence in the coastal and north Karnataka regions now, it is because of Mutalik’s contribution,” he added.
However, Poojary’s statement has been countered by Karkala BJP leader B Maniraj Shetty. He said that Mutalik may not even secure 3,000 votes if he contests from Karkala as an Independent. ‘’It is nothing but a pressure tactic by Muthalik and his team. Congress is backing his team... Mutalik’s team can now be called Congress’ B Team,” he added.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference in Mangaluru, Sri Rama Sene state general secretary Anand Shetty Adyar said, “Hindu community is upset over increase in corruption, anti-Hindu policies, neglect of Hindutva leaders and false cases against them and are looking for a responsible and honest candidate like Mutalik.”