UDUPI: With the Karnataka State Assembly Elections just six months away, the BJP leaders in Udupi are concerned over diminishing unity in the party. Apart from cadre mobilization, the party here may have to shun factionalism to work unitedly to increase its imprint.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BJP Central Parliamentary Board member B S Yediyurappa will arrive in Udupi to participate in the Jana Sankalpa Yatra at Kaup on November 7 but they may have to witness the existence of factionalism among the district party members.
Digvijaya Rathayatra is being organised by Akhila Bharathiya Santha Samithi from Santhekatte to Uchila on the NH 66 on the same day and the organisers of the Rathayatra are unhappy that the district BJP leaders, despite knowing that the Rathayatra (organized to mark the historic moment of construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya) planned well in advance and the date being fixed, decided to hold BJP’s Jana Sankalpa Yatra on the same day.
The Rathayatra organisers have planned to protest and move ahead if they are stopped by the police officials to pave way for the CM’s convoy near Kaup. Councillor from BJP-Vijay Kodavoor, general secretary of the Digvijaya Rathayatra Reception Committee is said to be pitching his aspiration to contest from the Udupi assembly constituency on a BJP ticket, hence there is this faction, sources informed.
A member attached to the Rathayatra told TNSE, “BJP came to power in the name of ‘Lord Rama.’ Now when Lord Rama’s Rathayatra is arriving in Udupi, the leaders want to prioritise a political programme by stopping the Rathayatra. We wanted all the Hindus to participate in Rathayatra but due to some political reasons, CM’s Jana Sankalpa Yatra was planned on the same day. MLA K Raghupathi Bhat could have changed the date if he wished. However, he does not want other aspirants to grow in the constituency.”