Unable to get Cong ticket after 5 defeats, 82-yr-old Poojary blesses BJP’s Kateel

Mangaluru, Mar 24: Former union minister B Janardhana Poojary, who had recently threatened the Congress high command that he would contest as a rebel candidate from Dakshina Kannada if the party gives ticket to aspirants like M N Rajendra Kumar or Ivan D’Souza, today sincerely blessed BJP candidate Nalin Kumar Kateel. 

Mr Kateel, who is contesting for third time after registering two successive victories (2009 and 2014) against the Congress veteran today visited Gokarnanatheshwara temple at Kudroli and offered special prayers.

Then, along with other BJP leaders, Mr Kateel called on 82-year-old Poojary and sought latter’s blessings to achieve a hat-trick and defeat Congress once again in the prestigious coastal constituency.

Mr Kateel also reportedly thanked Mr Poojary for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a recent press conference and requested him to continue to speak against Congress leaders.

Mr Poojary, who in the past has served as the General Secretary of All India Congress Committee as well as President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee, had registered successive victories in four Lok Sabha polls in Dakshina Kannada before facing five successive defeats in the same constituency against different BJP candidates. 

Recently, Mr Poojary, in spite of his poor health and age related ailments, had expressed his desire to contest on Congress ticket for a record tenth time from Dakshina Kannada. However, Congress high command gave ticket to Youth Congress leader Mithun Rai. Mr Poojary, however, has not openly endorsed any candidate so far.

Also Read: ‘Mithun Rai is the best; deity warned me in my dream’: Poojary’s U-turn after a sound sleep