Udupi: The BJP has decided to field hotelier Sudhaker Shetty from the Udupi Assembly constituency. Speaking to reporters here on April 5, Friday, Udupi’s sitting MLA Raghupathi Bhat said it was he who recommended the name of Sudhaker Shetty with senior leaders of the party like R Ashok and Ananth Kumar.
He said he was happy over the party decision to field Sudhaker Shetty and called upon party workers to strive unitedly for the success of the party candidate from Udupi.
Bhat also struck a note of confidence that Shetty would win the elections and added he would consider Shetty like his right hand.
On the sleaze video row, Bhat said he needed time to sort it out. At the same time he just because he decided against contesting, it does not mean that he was running away. He also reiterated that he will prove that the CD was a conspiracy against him.
The candidate Sudhaker Shetty who was also present, said his candidature was a surprise to him and was thankful to Raghupathi Bhat.
Sudhaker Shetty, the owner of Hotel Sharada International is also the former vice president of the Udupi TMC and the former president of Udupi Development Authority. He had contested the 2004 assembly elections as a rebel candidate. He contested with the support of Hindu Yuva Sene then after the BJP denied ticket to him. Though he had lost he had been able to garner 45000 votes.