Karnataka assembly polls: Dissidence brews in BJP over Puttur segment ticket

MANGALURU: The BJP’s decision to give a ticket to former zilla panchayat president Asha Thimmappa Gowda to contest from Puttur constituency has irked not only the fans of hardcore Hindutva leader Arun Kumar Puthila, but also the followers of incumbent MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor.
A video of Matandoor’s followers questioning BJP district president Sudarshan Moodbidri at the MLA’s house has gone viral. Matandoor, who was also the president of the Dakshina Kannada BJP, is one of the sitting MLAs who missed the BJP ticket. Meanwhile, Puthila, who was also an aspirant to contest on a BJP ticket in Puttur, is planning to file his nomination as an independent candidate. He is likely to file his nomination on Monday. Puthila’s well-wishers had held a meeting in Puttur recently, to put pressure on the BJP leadership to offer a ticket to him.
Puthila said that he will take a final decision after holding a meeting soon. “We will hold a discussion with supporters, and announce a decision soon,” he said.
On Thursday, BJP district president Sudarshan Moodbidri and party state spokesperson Capt Ganesh Karnik had visited the house of Sanjeeva Matandoor, who was denied a ticket to contest the election from Puttur. Party workers gathered in large numbers at the house of Matandoor, and criticised BJP leaders for not considering the sitting MLA while announcing the list of candidates. Party workers had sought to know the reason for rejection of the candidature to Matandoor. Party workers had also warned the BJP leadership, that they will stay away from poll campaigns.
Sudarshan Moodbidri said, “Those who gheraoed me at Sanjeeva Matandoor’s house are all BJP workers, not outsiders. Hence, I have no regret for the incident. It is quite natural that party workers will be embarrassed when their leader is not given a ticket. They have expressed their emotions.”
On the dissidence of Puthila, Sudarshan said that he is closely attached to the ideology of the BJP. “I believe that he will not contest against the party. Party senior leaders will speak to both Sanjeeva Matandoor as well as Arun Kumar Puthila to solve the issue,” he added.