Association with RSS, social service helped in getting ticket, says BJP candidate for South West Graduates’ Constituency

BJP candidate Dr. Dhananjaya Sarji discusses RSS association and social service in Legislative Council elections.

The BJP candidate for the Legislative Council elections from South West Graduates’ Constituency Dhananjaya Sarji, who is a doctor, said here on Sunday, May 19, that his association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and social service done by him has made the party to field him in the elections.

To a question at a joint press conference by Sarji and S.L. Bhoje Gowda, the Janata Dal (Secular) and the BJP combined candidate for South West Teachers’ Constituency and also MLC Sraji said that he was selected to contest by the Central leaders of the party.

Mr. Sarji said that he had attended the initial training camp of the RSS when he was 10 years old.

He was responding to the question over the objection raised by the BJP’s rebel candidate in the constituency and former Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat that the party has fielded a much junior as Mr. Sarji joined the party a year ago. Mr. Bhat has gone on record that he would not have contested if the party had fielded a senior candidate from the constituency.

On the other hand, another BJP rebel S.R. Harish Acharya is contesting from the South West Teachers’ constituency.

Mr. Sarji said that the party had organisational strength in the constituency comprising Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu districts and Channagiri, Honnali, and Nyamathi Taluks of Davangere district.

Mr. Gowda said that the State government should bring teachers under the Old Pension Scheme. The vacant posts in aided educational institutes should be filled up.