‘Rebel’ former BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat files nomination for Legislative Council election

Former BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat accuses party of fielding inexperienced candidate, files nomination for Legislative Council elections.

The former BJP MLA from Udupi K. Raghupathi Bhat, who has turned rebel, filed his nomination for the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ Constituency on Thursday, May 16, on the last day of filing.

He submitted his papers to G.C. Prakash, the Regional Commissioner of Mysuru who is the Election Officer with his supporters.

The BJP has fielded Dhananjaya Sarji, a doctor from Shivamogga, as its candidate from the constituency.

While speaking to presspersons in Udupi on Wednesday, May 15, Mr. Bhat said that the BJP fielded a newcomer and a junior in the party for the elections. Dr. Sarji had joined the party a year ago, he said.

He accused Dr. Sarji of joining hands with the Congress and the Left parties against the RSS.

Mr. Bhat said that following the murder of Hindutva activist Harsha in Shivamogga in 2022, the Congress and the Left parties had jointly organised a programme called ‘shantiya nade’. Dr. Sarji took the lead in organising this programme, Mr. Bhat alleged.

The three-term MLA said that his contest is to represent the coastal districts as the coastal belt has been completely ignored with no candidate from the belt being fielded either in the graduates’ or teachers’ constituency. The party workers from the coastal districts have been taken for granted, he said.