The June 3 Legislative Council elections in Karnataka has two BJP rebel candidates from the coastal belt in the fray. Both claim that they are “filling a void” as the saffron party has “sidelined” Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts by not fielding locals in the South West Graduates’ and the Teachers’ constituencies this time. In fact, many in the party cadre are sulking as they feel that they have been “taken for granted” in the BJP strongholds.
Three-term Udupi MLA K. Raghupathi Bhat is contesting from the Graduates’ constituency and facing Dhananjaya Sarji, a doctor from Shivamogga, whom the BJP is backing. Another rebel, S.R. Harish Acharya, has filed his nomination papers from the Teachers’ constituency from where the Janata Dal (Secular), the BJP’s alliance partner, has fielded MLC K. Bhoje Gowda for the second time.
