Former MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat may re-consider his decision to contest as ‘rebel’ from South West Graduates’ Constituency, says BJP candidate

The BJP candidate in the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ Constituency Dhananjaya Sarji said on Tuesday that the party is hopeful that former three-term MLA from Udupi K. Raghupathi Bhat who had announced that he will contest as ‘rebel’ from the constituency will re-consider his decision.

The BJP candidate in the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ Constituency Dhananjaya Sarji said on Tuesday that the party is hopeful that former three-term MLA from Udupi K. Raghupathi Bhat who had announced that he will contest as ‘rebel’ from the constituency will re-consider his decision.

To a question at a press conference in Udupi, he said that Mr. Bhat is a senior leader of the BJP and has remained loyal to the party. He might change his decision, Dr. Sarji said. He said that there is a wrong notion that earlier, he (Dr. Sarji) had worked against the RSS.

Dr. Sarji said that the constituency is a developed one and had 14 medical colleges and 30 engineering colleges in addition to about 100 institutes of repute. The constituency had good connectivity. There are about 82,00 registered voters.

He said that the BJP had organisational strength with the highest number of party workers.

Udupi MLA Yashpal Suvarna said that the decision of selecting the party candidate for the constituency has been taken by the party higher-ups.

The BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) combined candidate for South West Teachers’ Constituency S. L. Bhoje Gowda was present.