BJP could’ve fielded someone other than Kota Srinivas Poojary who still has four-year stint in public office, says Congress leader

Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee spokesperson Sudhir Kumar Murolli on Wednesday said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency Kota Srinivas Poojary had four more years in office to serve the people.

Instead of Mr. Poojary, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, some other prominent leader, including Pramod Madhwaraj, C.T. Ravi, Uday Kumar Shetty or Halady Srinivas Shetty, could have been given the BJP ticket, he told reporters at Udupi.

Mr. Murolli, who was with the BJP earlier, said the party in Udupi-Chikkamagaluru should not get affected by internal rumblings. Incumbent MP Shobha Karandlaje had openly stated that the party ticket was not given to those who had opposed her candidature and conducted “Shobha Go Back” campaign. Mr. Poojary should better serve people with his present constitutional position for the next four years.

Speaking along with Congress leader K. Jayaprakash Hegde after a party meeting, Mr. Murolli said both were aspiring to contest the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency on the Congress ticket.

“We are aspirants, but not competitors. As long as the party takes time to declare the candidate, we remain aspirants. Once the party chooses a candidate, everyone will work for the victory of the candidate,” he said.

Mr. Murolli said the Congress was a family and when Mr. Hegde returned to its fold, everyone welcomed him with open hands. He was absolutely right in aspiring to be the party candidate.