Shreyas H S
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore
Mangalore, May 10: Even as the BJP’s state wing cancelled the primary membership of Srikar Prabhu for a period of six years, highly placed sources told daijiworld that a faction of the RSS led by Dr Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat was unhappy over the sudden move by the party, thus indicating what a widening rift within the BJP and its ideological mentor, the RSS.
Clarifying his stand on the move, Prabhakar Bhat said that he did not subscribe to such development. He added that despite the cancellation of Srikar Prabhu's membership, he had high respect for the member who has been ousted from the BJP. "I do not have any personal grudge against Prabhu," he said.
According to highly placed sources within the RSS, state RSS organizing secretary Santhosh coaxed the state BJP to expel Prabhu and advocate P P Hegde. It is said that he had the backing of Nalin Kumar Kateel who reportedly passed on a strong message to the state president Prahlad Joshi to remove Srikar Prabhu and advocate P P Hegde.
Sources confirmed that the relationship between Prabhakar Bhat and Santhosh had also played its role. There had been a rift in the BJP when the district geared up for parliamentary elections. Perhaps, the gulf widened within the party after it announced sitting MP Nalin Kumar Kateel’s candidature in the elections. Sources said that of the two groups, one comprised Prabhakar Bhat loyalists while the other was the anti-Bhat led by Kateel.
"The anti-Bhat group was instrumental in influencing the decision to remove the duo from the party. The duo, according to Kateel, worked against his candidature," added the source.
Speaking to Daijiworld, Prabhakar Bhat said he was unaware whether the decision was taken after arriving at a consensus in the BJP. "It is left to the party and I have no role to play. According to me, the BJP in the district does not have a leader of the caliber that can match Prabhu," he said, insisting that he does not have anything against Srikar Prabhu.
"Even at midnight, Srikar Prabhu was always ready to come out and extend help to those in trouble. There is no rift within the party or any such groups. I learned the news of the removal of Prabhu through some party members and the media," he added.