Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (JD)
Udupi, May 15: Former MLA and BJP leader Raghupati Bhat organized a massive meeting of his supporters at his residence as he announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate for the Southwest Graduates constituency.
The election office of Raghupati Bhat was also inaugurated on the occasion at his residence.
Addressing the supporters, Raghupati Bhat said, "I am emotional today. I never expected that a day like this would come in my lifetime. I have worked for the BJP day and night. This is the toughest decision of my life. After many discussions and calculations, I have announced my candidature as a representative of the party workers. My conscience has supported me. Many state leaders contacted me after I announced my candidature. BJP candidate Dhananjay Sarji gave me a missed call yesterday.
“Our leaders believe that the coastal people will support the BJP, even though they are denied opportunities. I know who did what to deny me tickets in earlier elections. Even the Congress pressured me to contest independently. Now, in BJP, newcomers are given opportunities and chances to contest. But this time, they have broken all the norms and traditions of the party. I have full respect for Dhananjay Sarji. But he joined the party just a year ago. He even took charge at the protest meet organized against the BJP and Sangh Parivar. The voters themselves have extended their support and conveyed the same to me. I am contesting as the representative of BJP party workers. I will remain in BJP whether I lose or win. The BJP flag should be on my mortal remains at the time of my death. The leaders did not even consider giving me a state position in the party.
"My photographs were removed from the party office during the Lok Sabha elections, even though I was working for the party. All the development works being inaugurated now in the Udupi assembly constituency, but I am not even invited to the inauguration of such development projects done by me. I am hurt by this attitude. Give me a chance, and I will show how an MLC should work," he said.
Balaji Raghavendra Acharya, K T Poojary, Upendra Nayak, Karamballi Raguram Shetty, Panduranga Mallpe, Shrinivas Udupa, Kokkarne Surendranath Shetty, Jayaram Acharya Karamballi, Saraswati Barittaya, and others were present.