Mangaluru: In a quick and efficient micro-management trait, the BJP has put behind the event and impact of the RSS leaders jumping to the Congress party on May 8. Nalin Kumar Kateel the State President of the party and his close associates quickly gathered themselves and braced up the groups in the GSB community that might have followed Sathish Prabhu.
Prabhu had been with the RSS and BJP for the last 30 years and had been a loyal worker and leader. Why he made a 180-degree turn, alienating himself from the RSS ideology, has now started trickling in. The RSS had suggested that Sathish Prabhu be given a chance to contest from Mangaluru City North Constituency, but the BJP bosses, propelled by the close circle people of a top leader in BJP, had put down their foot. “This was basically that Sathish Prabhu was not financially well off to contest on his own and still win the seat. The party, which is known for its micromanagement of election funding, had put out a narrative that Prabhu has suffered from a low winnability factor.
On May 8 night, the BJP leaders quickly convinced the top business houses, and influenced them to put behind Prabhu’s exit from the party and RSS. However, it needs to be seen how influential business houses, individuals, and associations have looked at the issue and how they will react. It is also likely that they might not air their political preferences in the public domain but, behind closed doors, take a decision on May 9.
The Hindu leaders and think tanks felt that the joining of Jagadish Shettar the Lingayat leader to Congress, Ashok Rai a Bunt leader from BJP in Puttur becoming the Congress candidate in Puttur and now Sathish Prabhu joining will also increase the influence of Hindus in Congress party, which is what they also wanted to some extent.
The Hindu polarisation in the district appears not to be so enigmatic after all. These developments in recent times, including the Jagadish Shettar incident, Ashok Rai of Puttur, and Arun Puthila also in Puttur, appear to have sent shivers down the spine of the BJP election managers.