I did not face any ‘Go Back’ campaign and am still relevant in politics, says former Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat

I did not face any ‘Go Back’ campaign so far and am still relevant in politics, says former Udupi MLA Raghupathi Bhat who is contesting the Karnataka Legislative Council poll as an independent after being denied a ticket by the BJP

Karnataka Legislative Council South West Graduates’ constituency candidate K. Raghupathi Bhat said that he has won all the elections contested so far, and did not face any “Go Back” campaign either by party workers or the electors.

“I am still relevant in politics and I am contesting the Council elections to be active in political life. 55 is not the age for political retirement,” he told reporters in Mangaluru on June 1.

Responding to a comment by BJP National Organising Secretary B.L. Santosh in Udupi that rebel candidates were exhibiting ‘withdrawal’ symptoms as they could not remain out of power even for a year, Mr. Bhat said the comment must have been made to those who have contested again even after several poll defeats.

The party flouted the unwritten norm of fielding one of the two candidates from coastal Karnataka for South West graduates and teachers’ constituencies. The BJP candidate for the graduates’ constituency is a newcomer and had even participated in a campaign against the ‘Parivar’, Mr. Bhat said.

“When I was not fielded in 2013 and 2023, I worked for the party candidate as a disciplined solider. I also worked as the Lok Sabha election in-charge for Shivamogga constituency, besides enrolling voters for the graduates’ constituency as per the party’s directions,” he said.

During his campaign for the current election, Mr. Bhat claims to receiving a positive response from electors in five districts and two taluks of Davangere district. He is confident of victory. “They understood the injustice meted out to me by the party and were sympathetic to me,” he claimed.

The projects he executed during his tenure as MLA of Udupi, including the district office complex at Manipal, indoor stadium, upgradation of the district hospital, four-laning of Manipal-Perampalli-Ambagilu Road, bridge to connect Malpe Padukare, various vented dam-cum-bridge projects, KSRTC bus terminal at Bannanje, show that he works for development.