Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 17: Srikar Prabhu, former BJP leader, who had unsuccessfully contested the just-concluded assembly election from the city (south) constituency, claimed that the campaigns he had carried out against former MLA, J R Lobo, had helped BJP candidate to come out victorious.

He was addressing a press conference here on Wednesday May 16.

"I was the one who highlighted the controversy over renaming of Light House HIll Road as Sundaram Shetty Road. I was the first to turn the attention of the electorate towards the failure to rename Ladyhill Circle as Narayana Guru Circle, communal leaning of J R Lobo and such other issues. I had carried out my tirade against the candidates of the Congress and BJP with equal intensity. But because of Hindutva factor and strong Modi wave, the campaigns carried out against Lobo came in handy for BJP's victory," he analyzed.

Prabhu said the purpose behind his fighting this election was not aimed at success or debacle of any candidate. He clarified that he fought the election to continue with his social service as he felt that if he does not get public attention there was the risk of people forgetting about him. Noting that only 64.5 percent of voters of his constituency had exercised their franchise this time, he felt that he would have got lot more votes if the voter turnout was much more.

Prabhu said that his contest in this election has provided him a platform for further contests. He said he and his supporters will be fighting the forthcoming Lok Sabha and city corporation elections. At the same time, he dismissed the notion that electronic voting machines were tampered with, resulting in the defeat of certain candidates.

President of Srikar Prabhu Fans Association, K P Shetty Bedemaru, Suresh Shetty, Ashwith and Jayaram kamath were present.