Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Feb 10: Supporters of the zilla panchayat (ZP) member from Hiriyadka constituency and president aspirant, Upendra Nayak, lined up on the road side, raised slogans and locked up the BJP office, in protest against what they termed as injustice meted out to their leader, on Wednesday February 9. This drama preceded the election to the post of the ZP here.

The supporters claimed that till Tuesday, they had been promised that Upendra Nayak would be made the ZP president. The protest proved that lure of power can throw to winds the party discipline and decorum. The protestors locked up the BJP office at around 8.30 am. They argued with the district BJP president, Udayakumar Shetty, claiming that they are not against the party, but against the treachery committed against Nayak by the party leaders, after promising him the post of the ZP president.

Raised voices were heard for long at the venue. People were reluctant to accede to the pleas of the party leaders to escape from the public glare, sit inside and office and sort out the issue. Most of the protestors were from Rajapur Saraswat Brahim community.

Upendra Nayak however, said that he had been told about the party’s decision on Monday itself, and volunteered to propose Katpady Shankar Poojary’s name for the president’s post. The protestors, who went into the office to talk with the leaders after Lalaji R Mendon convinced them to do so, seemed to have been mellowed down by the time they came out of the meeting.

Although the MLAs and senior leaders from the district claimed that the party activists had aired their views in a democratic set up, it was evident that they were shocked at this sudden development. This is particularly so, because of the fact that the district unit of BJP here has mostly remained disciplined. Some argued that Poojary was chosen ahead of Nayak because of predominant presence of Billava community in the district.