Udupi: I am contesting in the elections to send the message to the Congress high command, that they should not take their party workers for granted, said Amrith Shenoy P, an independent candidate from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha Constituency and rebel Congress leader.
Addressing the media at the Udupi Press Club here on Wednesday, March 27, Shenoy said that he met several leaders of the state and members of the AICC and impressed upon them the need to keep the Udupi-Chickmagaluru seat with the Congress party. “For the last five years, the sitting MP has completely failed to reach out to the people of the constituency and the ‘Shobha go back’ campaign by her own partymen is witness to this. But the Congress party has surrendered the seat to the Janata Dal (Secular) without consulting the party workers,” he said.
“I have been working for the needy and the party with honesty for many years. I am a secular person who will consider all sections of society. The interests of the weaker sections of society should be protected. More than the development issue, it is the religious aspects which played a major role in the elections. Both the Union and state governments have failed in fulfilling the aspirations of the people at large,” he added.
If elected, Shenoy promised to stand up for interests of the common man. “I will resolve several problems faced by the people like the sand problem, the missing fishermen etc.,” he said and asked the people to vote for him for their social development.
To a query, Shenoy said that he would not withdraw his nomination papers. “I will resign as an AICC member soon. Obviously, the Congress will take action on anti-party activities and suspend me from the party membership,” he said.
To another query, he said that Pramod Madhwaraj visited him at his residence and tried to convince him to withdraw his candidature for the election. “He didn’t offer me any money during the visit. I have great respect for Pramod Madhwaraj,” he added.
He then informed that he has planned a Jatha for collection in Udupi city as contesting in the election requires a large sum of money for expenses.
Dr P V Bhandary, Yagnesh Acharya and Jayashree Bhat were present.
