BJP ‘rebel’ S.R. Harish Acharya from Mangaluru filed his nomination papers for the Legislative Council elections from South West Teachers’ Constituency, on Wednesday, May 15.
He filed his papers at the office of the Mysuru Regional Commissioner at 1.30 p.m. The president of Karnataka State College Guest Teachers’ Association Hanumanthappa Kalmani and president of Dakshina Kannada district unit of the association Manmohan Balladkka were among those who accompanied Mr. Acharya while filing the nomination.
Mr. Acharya filed his nomination notwithstanding the alliance between the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) for the June 3 polls. As per the pact between the two parties, the BJP has left the South West Teachers’ Constituency to the Janata Dal (Secular) to contest from. Accordingly, the latter has fielded the MLC from the constituency S.L. Bhoje Gowda for the second time.
Mr. Acharya, a former member of the Syndicate of Mangalore University, has attributed his contest to fill the void as no political party has given representation to the coastal districts while selecting the candidates for the South West Teachers’ and Graduates’ Constituencies.
While addressing presspersons in Mangaluru on Tuesday, he said that it was a question of self-respect of the coastal belt and its teachers. Hence, he is contesting to uphold the dignity of teachers. Mr. Acharya maintained that his contest is not a revolt.
