MANGALURU: The BJP has selected 43-year-old Capt Brijesh Chowta as its candidate for the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency by replacing three-time MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.
The change did not come as a big surprise to many as there were talks about the replacement for quite sometime now. When Chowta was made BJP state secretary a few months ago, it was clear that the party was seriously considering him.
A source said the change was expected as there was anti-incumbency against Kateel. Also, there was a yearning among party workers and general public since long to see a fresh and well-educated face as an MP from Dakshina Kannada which is one of the top literate districts in the state. Kateel was under attack many times for his inability to converse in English or Hindu which many believe is a basic requirement for an MP.
Hindutva workers had launched a campaign to replace Kateel which got intensive after Arun Kumar Puttila rebelled against the BJP after he was denied ticket to contest from Puttur in 2023 assembly election. Recently, Puttila had announced that he will contest the Lok Sabha election and it was seen as an attempt to put pressure on the party high command to replace Kateel. Kateel not being in the good books of party veteran B S Yediyurappa also worked against him ultimately.
After his schooling in Milagres School, Chowta did his B.Sc from St Aloysius College and Executive Business Management programme from the Indian Institute of Management, Indore. In 2003, he was commissioned into the 7th battalion of the 8 Gorkha Rifles, served in counter-insurgency operations in Assam and Manipur and was part of the elite Ghatak team. He also served as an adjutant to the battalion till 2010. He joined BJP in 2013 and worked in various capacities. He is an organiser of Mangaluru Kambala and Mangaluru Lit Fest.
In a post on ‘X’, Chowta thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the opportunity and said he will work towards making Dakshina Kannada number one in the state.
Meanwhile, Kateel welcomed the party’s decision to nominate Chowta, saying the change was in line with the party’s thinking of giving opportunity to new faces and thereby expanding the party’s base and activities. He hoped that Chowta wins by a margin of more than 3 lakh votes. Kateel hinted that the party may want him to work for the organisation.
He said six months ago, the party high command had sought his opinion and he had told them that he is ready to make way for a new face.