Udaykumar Shetty, president of district unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on Thursday that the party would fight for the creation of Brahmavar and Byndoor taluks in Udupi district.
Addressing presspersons here, Mr. Shetty said that when the BJP was in power, the then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar had announced the creation of 43 taluks in the State including Brahmavar and Byndoor. This was a long pending demand of the people of the district. Mr. Shettar had kept aside Rs. 2 crore each for the formation of all these 43 taluks.
But Revenue Minister V. Srinivasa Prasad’s statement that the government would re-examine the BJP government’s decision to create 43 taluks was highly objectionable. “We condemn his statement. If the State government goes against the wishes of the people, we will launch an agitation. The Udupi MLA Pramod Madhwaraj should clarify his position on the issue,” he said.
Krishna Math
On Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s reported statement that the government would consider bringing the Sri Krishna Math/ Temple in Udupi under the Muzrai Department, Mr. Shetty said that the Sri Krishna Math/ Temple was open to the general public. But it is managed by privately by the ‘Ashta Maths’ or eigth maths of Udupi).
It was Mr. Siddaramaiah who led the agitation against the demolition of the Kanaka Gopura at the Sri Krishna Math/ Temple in 2005. His statement showed that he was carrying forward the same agenda. “Mr. Siddaramaiah should take the opinion of the people of the region into consideration and not hurt any religious sentiments,” he said.
Halady factor
To a question, Mr. Shetty said that the BJP had already issued show cause notices to the six zilla panchayat members, who had campaigned for the independent MLA from Kundapur Assembly Constituency Halady Srinivas Shetty. “We are waiting for their reply. We will take action against them after considering all the factors,” he said.
Asked if the BJP would risk losing its majority in Udupi Zilla Panchayat, Udupi Taluk Panchayat, Kundapur Taluk Panchayat and Kundapur Town Municipal Council (TMC) given that a sizeable number of BJP members in these bodies owed their allegiance to Mr. Halady Srinivas Shetty, Mr. Udaykumar Shetty said that once the party decided to take action, it would be ready to face all consequences.
On whether the BJP would try to bring back Mr. Halady Srinivas Shetty back into its fold, Mr. Udaykumar Shetty said that the issue had not been discussed in the party fora.
‘Jail Bharo’
The BJP would launch a ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation against the “misrule” of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government here on May 28, he said.
