Pic: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (HB)

Udupi, Mar 10: The election battle in Udupi district has just got more interesting with Sri Laxmivarateertha Swamiji, head of Shiroor Math, deciding to enter the fray as an independent, or as BJP candidate if given the ticket.

Announcing his decision in a press meet here on Saturday March 10, Shiroor Swamiji said, "I did not need to stand for elections, but I feel political parties are not responding to people's problems as they should have. Therefore I have decided to contest the Assembly elections this time as an independent candidate from Udupi constituency.

Saying that he was ready to contest from BJP if given the ticket, he said, "The BJP leaders in Udupi are not doing a good job. When they were in power, they did not do anything for Udupi. I feel saddened about this. Hence, I am ready to contest on BJP ticket, if given, so that I can work for the betterment of the party in Udupi. If not, I will contest as an independent candidate.

"The BJP at the national level is doing really well, with a number of pro-people initiatives. The party should work in the same way in Udupi," he added.

When asked if he would agree to contest from Congress if given the ticket, he said, "Congress already has a good candidate. Their MLA and district in-charge minister Pramod Madhwaraj is doing excellent work for Udupi and is a role model. Problem is with the BJP. If the BJP had been doing good work, I would not have come to this decision."

He also made it clear that he was contesting the elections not to counter Madhwaraj.

Asked about the problems he sees within the Udupi BJP, he said, "You know it as well as I do. They do not care for the poor and the needy. I am disappointed with the BJP. When they were in power they did not do anything for Udupi."

Asked about how he would fulfill his religious committments when he needs to go to Bengaluru for Assembly sessions and other political reasons, he said, "There won't be any such problems. We will make arrangements. We will bring Bengaluru to Udupi."

On whether he would change his mind if the Ashta Math swamijis oppose his decision, he said, "They will not oppose. There is no such rule that we cannot contest elections. This has no connection to the Ashta Maths at all."

Asked how he would manage the financial aspects of contesting the elections, he said, "I will not need money to stand for elections."

He also clarified that no political party has contacted him and his decision is solely his own.

Sri Laxmivarateertha Swamiji is the first swamiji in the history of Ashth Maths to contest elections.