BJP workers demand Bhat to contest

 Hundreds of BJP workers gathered outside MLA Raghupati Bhat’s house here on Saturday and urged him to contest for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Raghupati Bhat had announced his decision not to contest the elections, after a CD had surfaced allegedly showing him in an intimate position with an unidentified woman.

BJP leaders and workers, including some members of CMC and panchayat, requested him to contest in the coming elections and promised full support to him. However, Raghupati Bhat refused to accept their pleas.

He said: “I have already conveyed my decision to Chief Minister and BJP state President. I will not backtrack from active politics. I will work towards the victory of the candidate who will contest from Udupi Assembly constituency.” However, the party workers who were hell bent on the demand, said that they will not work towards the victory of other candidate.

“The BJP district core committee has sent my name as a candidate for the Udupi Assembly constituency to the State committee.

The party has not done any harm to me. It was my personal decision to withdraw from contesting the election. I am greatful to the party workers for their love. I will abide by the decision of the party high command,” the MLA said.

BJP workers staged a protest for more than four hours. The protest was withdrawn after Raghupathy Bhat sought one day time to take a decision.

District BJP unit president Udaykumar Shetty said that district core committee had finalised the name of Raghupathy Bhat.

ZP President Upendra Nayak, CMC Members Dinakar Shetty Herga, Naveen Bhandary, Vijay Kundar and others were present.