5 new BJP MLAs of Udupi district vow to focus on development of their constituencies

Udupi, May 16: After the Bharatiya Janata Party made a clean sweep by winning all the five Assembly Constituencies in Udupi district in the 2018 State Assembly elections, the new MLAs have vowed to give priority to the development works.

K Raghupati Bhat, who defeated his classmate turned political rival Pramod Madhwaraj in Udupi Assembly Constituency, said that this election had given him a “political rebirth”.

“I will give importance to cleanliness in Udupi city, widening of the Malpe-Manipal Road and construction of a new solid waste management plant at Alevoor,” he said.

Halady Srinivas Shetty, who retained Kundapur seat, said that the programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and B.S. Yeddyurappa had reached the people.

“The defeat of Pramod Madhwaraj in Udupi and B. Ramanath Rai in Dakshina Kannada showed that people had a poor opinion of the administration provided by the Congress,” he said. Asked if he was an aspirant for a Ministerial berth, Mr. Shetty said: “I will do whatever the party wants me to do.”

V. Sunil Kumar, who managed to retain Karkala seat, said that his victory was a vote for development. “All BJP MLAs wanted to promote integrated development of Udupi district. This election victory is a pointer to the parliamentary elections next year. Mr. Modi’s visit helped us. I have nothing against anyone becoming a Minister,” he said.

Lalaji Mendon, who defeated former minister Vinay Kumar Sorake in Kaup, said that he would give priority to the development of constituency.

Though the Kaup was a sensitive constituency, the people had given him a lead of over 11,000 votes, he said.

B.M. Sukumar Shetty, who wrested Byndoor seat from Congress leader Gopal Poojary, said that he would focus on developing basic infrastructure facilities in Byndoor. He would give priority to solving the drinking water problem, roads and schools, he said.