Mangaluru: In a significant political development, Hindu leader Arun Kumar Puthila has made a notable return to the BJP fold, marking a strategic shift in party dynamics in Dakshina Kannada ahead of the upcoming Parliament election. Speculation had swirled around Puthila’s potential independent candidacy should incumbent MP Nalin Kumar Kateel be named as a candidate by the BJP. However, in a move that underscores the party’s efforts to consolidate support, Puthila rejoined BJP ranks on Thursday evening in the presence of state president BY Vijayendra. Arun Puthila’s political journey gained attention when he contested the Assembly election last year from Puttur as an independent candidate, narrowly losing to Congress’s Ashok Kumar Rai, relegating BJP to a surprising third position in the constituency. Despite his independent status, Puthila and his men maintained allegiance to Narendra Modi. Puthila had contested the assembly election in Puttur as an independent candidate amid discontent within the party ranks, with workers expressing frustration over the perceived marginalization of honest party workers in the region. The decision to field Asha Timmappa Gowda instead of a candidate closely aligned with the grassroots workers had prompted backlash during the Assembly election, with Puthila emerging as a vocal critic of Nalin Kumar Kateel’s leadership. Despite his setback in the Assembly election, Puthila’s supporters, organized under the banner of ‘Puthila Parivar,’ remained active, hinting at his potential candidacy in the upcoming Parliament election should Nalin Kumar Kateel be named again from Dakshina Kannada. However, the recent appointment of Vijayendra as the state unit chief after the term of Nalin, coupled with Capt Brijesh Chowta’s nomination as the BJP candidate from Dakshina Kannada, seems to have recalibrated Puthila’s political calculus. Addressing the media in Puttur, Puthila expressed solidarity with Capt Brijesh Chowta’s candidacy, emphasizing the imperative of securing the BJP’s victory. He echoed sentiments of continuity in Narendra Modi’s leadership, projecting a united front in support of extending Modi’s tenure as Prime Minister. “We will ensure the victory of BJP candidate Brijesh Chowta. India has seen the rule of Narendra Modiji for the last ten years. People want him to continue as the Prime Minister for ten more years. We will all unitedly work towards this,” he added.
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