Mangaluru, Apr 21: Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has rubbished as baseless the allegations that he prevented the BJP high command from issuing the ticket to former minister Krishna J Palemar from Mangaluru City North constituency for the May 12 Karnataka assembly polls.
The BJP this time has fielded young leader Dr Bharath Shetty from Mangaluru City North, where Mr Palemar was defeated by Congress leader B A Mohiuddin Bava in 2013. Mr Palemar earlier said: “This time BJP has issued tickets to four candidates of Bunt community in Dakshina Kannada district and completely ignored the people of backward classes. I feel sad to say that our own MP (Mr Kateel), for whose victory in Lok Sabha polls I had spent hugely, is responsible for this injustice.”
Responding to the allegations made by Mr Palemar, the two-time MP said that Mr Palemar was naturally hurt over the fact that he could not get ticket this time. “He (Mr Palemar) is one of the senior leaders of BJP and strengthened the party in the district. I respect him. He blamed me because he loves me,” said Mr Kateel told media persons.
Mr Kateel, who also belongs to Bunt community, claimed that his party did not believe in caste politics. “I neither supported nor opposed any candidate based on his caste. We had just forwarded the list of all ticket aspirants from the district to the Delhi. This time high command directly involved in finalising the list of candidates. My role in issuing tickets to candidates is zero,” he said.
Mr Kateel also downplayed the dissidence in the saffron party over ticket allotment. “It is quite natural that some ticket aspirants express their pain after the party issues ticket to others. But, BJP is not a broken house in our district. We all are united,” he said expressing hope that Mr Palemar too would campaign for the BJP candidate in his constituency.
Also Read: Is jail the only thing BJP needs backward classes for, asks Palemar after ticket denial
Comments
He is trying to threaten Palemar indeirectly is th epolicy of crimnal rss. In south kanara public wil give a strong reply . Very good this useless mp will be na ghar ka na ghat ka
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