Mangaluru: I will give more importance to constructing the party through discipline, said MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, who recently assumed charge as president of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state unit.
He was addressing the party workers and his supporters at the T V Raman Pai Hall on Thursday, where a programme was organised to congratulate him on being selected for topmost post in the party’s state unit.
Speaking about his political career and his initial reluctance to get into politics, he said, “I was a staunch activist of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) during my school days, which made me become an active worker of the BJP as well. When senior leaders like D V Sadananda Gowda and others asked me to become a candidate of the Moodbidri Assembly constituency, I refused it. I hid for a week, when the senior leaders asked me to contest from the Dakshina Kannada Lok Sabha constituency in the year 2009, however, I relented to the mounting pressure and contested. The blessings of the Dakshina Kannada people made me attain a high position and I will be obedient to them till my last breath.”
“Although I have to travel throughout the state to strengthen the party, I will prefer to visit my district at least once a week,” he added.
Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary and several other leaders like Captain Ganesh Karnik, Prathapsimha Nayak, Sanjeeva Matandoor, S Angara, Rukmaiah Poojary and others also spoke on the occasion and congratulated Nalin on his accomplishment.
Prior to the programme, Nalin sought the blessings of B K Ramesh by touching his feet and calling him his political ‘Guru’. B K Ramesh was then felicitated by Nalin and other dignitaries.
MLAs D Vedavyas Kamath, Dr Y Bharath Shetty, Rajesh Naik, Umanath Kotian, Halady Srinivas Shetty, ZP president Meenakshi Shanthigod, vice president Kasturi Panja, former minister Krishna J Palemar and others were present.
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