Muthalik claimed that he was contesting the election to fight against corruption and for the cause of Hindutva.
Published Jan 23, 2023 | 5:01 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 23, 2023 | 5:01 PM
Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik. (Creative Commons)
Right-wing outfit Sri Ram Sene’s chief Pramod Muthalik on Monday, 23 January, said he has decided to contest the upcoming Assembly polls in Karnataka from the Karkala constituency, to fight against corruption and for the cause of Hindutva.
The polls are likely by May.
“Under pressure from karyakartas, I decided to contest as an independent candidate from the Karkala Assembly segment. Already, I have travelled across the constituency seven or eight times, and everyone is of the opinion that Muthalik should contest from here as there have been injustices to Hindus and rampant corruption,” Muthalik said.
Speaking to reporters in Udupi, he said he is contesting so that he can work honestly for the cause of Hindutva and against corruption.
“My contest will be with an aim to give the Hindus justice and respect,” he added.
Muthalik, in November last year, said that he lost hope in BJP as they “failed to protect Hindus or Hindutva”.
“I will field 25 Khattar Hindutvawadis (Hardline Hindus) in the upcoming 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka. I am confident of winning at least six seats,” Muthalik told South First in November.
The right-wing outfit leader’s outburst came in the backdrop of Congress MLA from Narasimharaja, Tanveer Sait, suggesting he would build a 100-foot statue of Tipu Sultan in Mysuru or Srirangapatna soon.
“We will demolish that statue if it is ever built,” Muthalik retorted to Sait’s statement.
He added that these 25 people are entering politics to “save Hindutva”.
“We have allied with around 22 pro-Hindu outfits including the Hindu Maha Sabha, Rashtriya Bajrangdal Sene, etc. We also have with us three Hindu seers who will contest polls and the survey is on for which candidate to field in which constituency, along with the preparations,” Muthalik told the South First.
“We are 100 percent confident that we will win in at least six constituencies in the state.”
However, the BJP is unflustered over the comments made by the Sri Ram Sene chief.
“As BJP, we understand and appreciate his concerns, which is core to nationalism. There have been small deviations in the past, too; however, the intelligent electorate of Karnataka is very much aware of such deviations and has always stood by the BJP,” BJP spokesperson Captain Ganesh Karnik told South First on an earlier occasion.
“Both at the Centre and in the state, we need to resolve social issues in a systematic manner and as per law, as we not only abide by our Constitution, but we are also a democracy,” he said.
“Muthalik’s issues are close to our hearts and we see this — fielding of 25 Hinduwadis — only as an expression of his feelings. It will have no serious political implications on the fortunes of the party,” Karnik added.
“There is no meaning in him (Muthalik) fielding 25 Hinduwadis for the elections; and how is it going to help? If he really wants to do something good for the state, and really support Hindutva, he has to support the BJP,” Karnataka BJP General Secretary Ravi Kumar said.
Karkala in Udupi district is currently represented by V Sunil Kumar (BJP), who is the Minister for Energy, Kannada and Culture in the Basavaraj Bommai-led Cabinet. He has represented thrice in the constituency and won in 2004, 2013 and 2018.
Earlier a Congress bastion, former chief minister and ex-Union Minister M Veerappa Moily had won from there six times from 1972-1994 polls. After him, H Gopala Bhandary of the party had twice represented the seat by winning the 1999 and 2008 polls.
(With inputs from PTI)
