Sri Ram Sene’s Muthalik tries to join BJP again, seeks Belagavi bypoll ticket

Pramod Muthalik, a controversial right-wing leader in Karnataka, said he had approached several BJP leaders to seek support for a ticket

Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muthalik on Sunday said that he has approached the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for a ticket to contest in the upcoming parliamentary bypolls from Belagavi, about 500 km from Bengaluru.

Sri Ram Sene leader Pramod Muthalik wants to contest the Lok Sabha bypolls from Belagavi constituency (PTI File Photo)

“I have approached all senior leaders of the party like Arun Singh, BL Santosh, CT Ravi, DV Sadananda Gowda, Pralhad Joshi and others and though they have not given me any assurance, their response has been very positive,” Muthalik (66) told HT.

“I had tried to get a ticket before but the relations were not set properly. I have told them now that I am 66 years old and want to do some good work in the remaining three years,” he said.

Union minister Sadananda Gowda told Hindustan Times on Sunday, “Yes, he (Muthalik) came to me but the ultimate decision will be taken by the core committee of the party.”

Muthalik had made headlines when Sri Ram Sene assaulted women in a pub in Mangaluru in 2009. He has taken extreme positions against Valentine’s Day and his followers have targeted young couples and others in the garb of saving ‘Hindu culture’.

He has had a love-hate relationship with the BJP which he tried to formally enter even in the past.

In March 2014, Muthalik was inducted into the BJP in a grand event only to be removed just a few hours later after public outrage.

The Belagavi seat fell vacant after Suresh Angadi, the central minister for railways died due to Covid-19. The dates for the bypolls are yet to be declared but the two main national parties--BJP and Congress--have already started work to secure a victory in the border district.