GP-level development priority, says Kota

BJP MLC of the district, Kota Srinivas Poojary is made Minister for Port and Fisheries in the Chief Minister Yediyurappa-led government in the state.

Though Poojary hails from Udupi, he represents both districts. Having been elected MLC unopposed from the Udupi and Dakshina Kannada Local Bodies Constituency in 2008. He has studied only till the seventh standard. However, he is an expert on the Panchayat Raj system in the country.

He began his career as a photographer at a studio in Saligrama. His pictures of veteran Yakshgana artists and Dr Shivaram Karant playing cricket are famous.

Political career

Poojary was first elected MLC following the death Congress leader Blasius D’Souza in 2008.

In 2010, he was elected unopposed along with Congress candidate Pratapchandra Shetty for the two Local Authority constituency seats.

Born on January 1, 1960, at Kotathitta village, of Barikere near Kota, in Udupi taluk in a farming family, Poojary became the member of the gram panchayat of his village in 1993.

He was elected from Kota to Udupi Taluk Panchayat in 1995 and to Udupi Zilla Panchayat in 2006. He was president of the Udupi district unit of the BJP from 2007 to 2010.

He became the MLC for the next term in 2016. He served as the minister in the then BJP government. In 2018, he was elected as the opposition leader in the Legislative Council.

Priorities

Speaking to the media after assuming office, Poojary said that his task continues in ensuring justice to poor. He added that he would focus on rehabilitating victims of the flood. He is offered the responsibility of both Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district.

Poojary added that he had spoken to the chief minister about the sand mining crisis in Udupi district. He added that his priority will be to plan for ensuring drinking water for the next 15-20 years and promote tourism.

He assured that he would work in tandem with the other MLA’s of the district.

MLAs Haladi Srinivas Shetty and Sunil Kumar have not expressed any dissatisfaction with Poojary’s elevation as minister. Both were in the race for the minister’s post.