Bangalore : First Sabhapathi of Udupi, a fisherman leader, Ex-MLA and till recently Congress leader, U.R.Sabhapathy, a Fishermen’s community leader, powerful till Pramod Madhwaraj claimed his leadership, was trying to join JD-S next, after being in a fridge for many years, has been prevented at the semi-final stage, by H.D.Devegowda who gave him a red signal.
Sabhapathi spoke against Congress leaders like Moily and Oscar in a meeting called by his admirers on Feb.9, and had indicated that he would meet H.D Kumaraswamy, state JD-S chief, in a week’s time. Now he is between the devil and sea, cautioned by Hassan MP and JD-S Supremo, Devegowda himself. His Mulky to Shirur march on foot has been given an axe blow by Devegowda.
URS has joined agitations against Nagarjuna Fly ash episode and Nandini Milk price hike recently. His extra activities did not impress the JD-S national leader. URS had sent out a call for bundh in Udupi and DK districts against Nagarjuna sponsored air pollution in coastal skies. He even he wanted closure of this Power Company. Now he is neither here nor there.
But Mahendra Kumar who had owned attacks on RCC shrines thrice in 2008, has not only been exonerated by justice B.K.Somashekhar, but has impressed JD.S father and son leaders by his honesty and has been welcomed into the regional outfit of JD that is JD-S. He has shed saffron colours for the symbol of peasant woman carrying a farm-yoke.
Mahendra Kumar is now against communalism so that Christians could breathe freely in 2011. He was blessed by Kumaraswamy and YSV Dutta, secretary of JD-S. BJP has filed criminal cases against this man for several offences in 2008-10, and he could not swallow it. It is a case of leaving Sangha Parivar to enter Janatha Dal parivar for MK.
He is on record having told the staunch Gowda family (JD-S) that he would draw away many youths who are intoxicated by Hindutva from BJP, towards JD-S. He himself was in that addiction earlier, before his dreams took the colours of secular JD life of the Gowda variety in all its richness of an affluent family.