Though it was the first visit by the president of State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nalin Kumar Kateel to Udupi district, there were two notable absentees — Halady Srinivas Shetty, Kundapur MLA, and B.M. Sukumar Shetty, Byndoor MLA, at the felicitation function organised for Mr. Kateel here on Tuesday.
In fact, a seat with the name of Mr. Halady Srinivas Shetty pasted on it was kept on the dais. But Mr. Halady Srinivas Shetty did not turn up. This led to speculation that there was dissidence in the district unit of the BJP because Mr. Halady Srinivas Shetty, a five-time MLA from Kundapur, was one of the aspirants for a Ministerial berth.
However, speaking to presspersons after the felicitation function, Kota Srinivas Poojary, Minister for Ports and Fisheries and Muzrai, said that both Mr. Srinivas Shetty and Mr. Sukumar Shetty had taken permission of the party leaders in advance expressing their inability to attend the function because of their prior engagements. Mr. Kateel had given permission to them.
“We did not wait for them (Mr. Srinivas Shetty and Mr. Sukumar Shetty). We had just kept the chairs with their names on it as is usual. There is no confusion in the party about it. We are all together and united,” Mr. Poojary said.
Asked if there was any need for such a procession and felicitation function when parts of the State had witnessed floods, Mr. Poojary said that the State government had made all arrangements for providing relief to those affected by floods.
“Our government has provided an amount of ₹ 5 lakh each to people who had lost their houses in the floods. Our government will rebuild their houses and give them ₹ 5,000 as rent per month till the houses are rebuilt,” Mr. Poojary said.
