BJP dares Ivan to win LS polls from DK

Jithendra Kottari, BJP district spokesperson, has challenged MLC Ivan D’Souza to record a win against Nalin Kumar Kateel in the Lok Sabha elections from Dakshina Kannada.

“It is almost certain that Nalin Kumar Kateel will be the BJP candidate from Dakshina Kannada in the coming elections,” Kottari informed.

He told reporters at the BJP district office on Wednesday that Ivan D’Souza had, during the protest on Tuesday against the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda, stated that he would ‘rip off Nalin Kumar Kateel’s clothes’.

“Such a remark does not reflect the dignity of his position as MLC. If he is daring enough, let him touch Nalin Kumar Kateel,” Kottari challenged.

‘Protest a gimmick’

He called the protest by D’Souza against the merger a gimmick. “He has not faced even a taluk panchayat election and has entered politics through the back door. The protest is an attempt to mislead the people. The MLC nor the Congress has any concern for Vijaya Bank,” he said.

The protest by the MLC was not only an utter failure but the bandh call given by the District Youth Congress too evoked poor response on Wednesday. Dakshina Kannada and Udupi MPs have already met the Union Finance Minister and submitted a memorandum to him to reconsider the decision of bank merger, Kottari pointed out.

‘Spreading lies’

“As Congress party lacks a reason to oppose the BJP, it has been spreading lies. The NDA government is not responsible for the delay of work on the four-laning of the B C Road – Addahole national highway stretch, unlike what has been declared by the Congress leaders. The state government, in fact, has been postponing the process of land acquisition for the work,” alleged the spokesperson.

“Although the DPR on the four-laning of the Kulashekar – Moodbidri road was drafted four years ago, the land acquisition process was yet to be taken up by the government. The NOCs too had not been issued by the concerned authorities,” he added.