Pics: Yashodhara Bangera
Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (DC)

Moodbidri, Apr 17: Dissent within the BJP over candidate selection ahead of assembly elections continued even on Tuesday with one of the ticket aspirants from Moodbidri Jagadish Adhikari and party workers locking their party office for issuing ticket to Umanath Kotian.

Lashing out at the BJP, district vice-president Jagadish Adhikari addressing a press meet in Moodbidri on April 17, said, "We are deeply hurt by the candidate selection. There were three other ticket aspirants including myself who strived hard for the growth of the party. But now Umanath Kotian has been declared as the candidate of Moodbidri. If the party suffers in the assembly polls under Umanath, what will the party do?"

"We cannot accept this move by our party. I am a loyal worker of the party. But the party has decided to field a losing candidate like Kotian. This is one of the most dignified constituencies and ticket selection has hurt workers. We will discuss the issue with our senior leaders and take a final decision on quitting," he added.

Jagadish and the workers locked the BJP office as Umanath had not visited it after announcement of the candidates. "He should have visited the office and won people's trust by working in favour of them, which he did not," Adhikari alleged.

Arun Kumar Puttila and Ashok Kumar Rai, BJP ticket aspirants in Puttur have also expressed displeasure over selection of Sanjeev Mathandoor.