Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Aug 19: Former vice-president of Bommarabettu gram panchayat, Suresh Nayak Munduje, said that 72 BJP activists, including ten gram panchayat members from the party, have tendered their resignations en masse to the primary membership of the party on Tuesday August 18. He said that these members and activists are frustrated at the way the election to the posts of president and vice-president, which was held recently, was handled by the party.

BJP has chosen to run administration of Bommabarabettu gram panchayat with the support of Congress members. During the election, BJP had fielded its member, Saroja, to the post of the president, and Suresh Nayak Munduje, to the post of the vice-president.

But some BJP dissidents, with the help of Congress, fielded Malati Acharya, a BJP dissident, as a candidate for the post of the president. Malati was elected as president. Suresh Nayak withdrew from the race because of these developments, paving way for Congress candidate, Chandrashekhar's unanimous election as the vice-president.

Suresh Nayak said that the ten gram panchayat members have resigned, having been frustrated at the way they were treated by the party. These members will continue to be independent members of the gram panchayat. In the new set up, BJP will have eight members. The ten dissident members, who have become independent members, will run the administration with the support of two Congress members.