07-24-2008, 10:10 AM
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Out of BJP, into the Congress camp?</b>
Staff Correspondent
Manoramaâs ouster may change political climate in Udupi
Udupi: The expulsion of the MP Manorama Madhwaraj (representing Udupi constituency) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, consequent to her abstention in the trust vote moved in the Lok Sabha by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, is bound to change the political landscape in Udupi district.
The abstention by Ms. Madhwaraj has not come as a surprise. There were rumours in Udupi on Tuesday that Ms. Madhwaraj would either cross-vote or abstain. She finally chose to abstain. The reason for her abstention is not difficult to fathom.
Ms. Madhwaraj joined the BJP on the eve of the 2004 parliamentary elections. She had been in the Congress party for three decades. She was a Minister in the governments of D. Devaraj Urs, R. Gundu Rao, Veerendra Patil, S. Bangarappa and M. Veerappa Moily, in the State. She joined the BJP because she felt neglected in the Congress. A prominent leader of the Mogaveera (fishermen) community, she was given the Lok Sabha ticket for the Udupi parliamentary seat in 2004, which she won.
What infuriated BJP leaders in the district was her open support to the movement against the coal-based thermal power plant being set up at Yellur in Udupi district.
Congress reaction
The President of Udupi District Congress Committee M.A. Gafoor told The Hindu that Ms. Madhwaraj never felt comfortable in the BJP. âShe is most welcome if she wants to join the Congress. We have not struck any deal with her. Her abstention (in the trust vote) was out of her own volition,â he said.
The expulsion of Ms. Madhwaraj is bound to have political repercussions in the district. The votes of the Mogaveera community would count a lot in the next parliamentary elections because the community is present in significant numbers in Kundapur, Udupi, and Kaup Assembly segments of the newly-formed Udupi-Chikmagalur parliamentary seat. To top it all, Ms. Madhwaraj is a good orator and a formidable leader. The BJPâs loss may well be the Congressâs gain, if she joins the latter.
Out of BJP, into the Congress camp?</b>
Staff Correspondent
Manoramaâs ouster may change political climate in Udupi
Udupi: The expulsion of the MP Manorama Madhwaraj (representing Udupi constituency) from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, consequent to her abstention in the trust vote moved in the Lok Sabha by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, is bound to change the political landscape in Udupi district.
The abstention by Ms. Madhwaraj has not come as a surprise. There were rumours in Udupi on Tuesday that Ms. Madhwaraj would either cross-vote or abstain. She finally chose to abstain. The reason for her abstention is not difficult to fathom.
Ms. Madhwaraj joined the BJP on the eve of the 2004 parliamentary elections. She had been in the Congress party for three decades. She was a Minister in the governments of D. Devaraj Urs, R. Gundu Rao, Veerendra Patil, S. Bangarappa and M. Veerappa Moily, in the State. She joined the BJP because she felt neglected in the Congress. A prominent leader of the Mogaveera (fishermen) community, she was given the Lok Sabha ticket for the Udupi parliamentary seat in 2004, which she won.
What infuriated BJP leaders in the district was her open support to the movement against the coal-based thermal power plant being set up at Yellur in Udupi district.
Congress reaction
The President of Udupi District Congress Committee M.A. Gafoor told The Hindu that Ms. Madhwaraj never felt comfortable in the BJP. âShe is most welcome if she wants to join the Congress. We have not struck any deal with her. Her abstention (in the trust vote) was out of her own volition,â he said.
The expulsion of Ms. Madhwaraj is bound to have political repercussions in the district. The votes of the Mogaveera community would count a lot in the next parliamentary elections because the community is present in significant numbers in Kundapur, Udupi, and Kaup Assembly segments of the newly-formed Udupi-Chikmagalur parliamentary seat. To top it all, Ms. Madhwaraj is a good orator and a formidable leader. The BJPâs loss may well be the Congressâs gain, if she joins the latter.