Many Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activists in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada districts have been tendering resignations to their positions, anguished by the July 26 murder of BJP Yuva Morcha leader Praveen Nettaru at Bellare in Dakshina Kannada district.
Thenkanidiyur Mahashakti Kendra president Vijayprakash Bailakere, Udupi Kendra president Sharath Kumar, Thenkanidiyur gram panchayat vice-president Arun Jathana, ward committee president Sathish Poojary, Panchayat member Vikitha Suresh were among the many who have resigned, sources said.
They mentioned in their resignation letters submitted to district president Kuyiladi Suresh Nayak that they were hurt by the murder of Praveen and there was no security to Hindutva activists.
‘‘This was a painful decision to resign from the party as we have lost trust in the State government,” they reportedly stated.
Convener of BJP district unit’s wing that identifies beneficiaries for various government schemes, Santhosh D. Suvarna reportedly stated in his resignation letter that the party leaders should change their outlook.
“Praveen Nettaru was a honest party worker. Even when our party is ruling both at the Centre and the State, he was murdered. I am resigning from the position in party for a period till our party leaders change their manner of functioning and start adhering to party principles,” he said, adding he however would continue to work for the Hindutva cause.
Sources said leaders were not discouraging those tendering resignations to have a relook as of now.
“‘As this is a sensitive issue and party workers’ feelings are palpable, our leaders have not asked them to stay back,’’ sources said.
A meeting called to discuss the one-year celebrations of the Bommai government at Kadiyali on Thursday was cancelled.
In Dakshina Kannada, though many leaders and activists have expressed their outrage over the murder, not many have tendered resignations officially, said sources.
A few have announced their decisions on social media though, they said.
