Karnataka: No Billava force to propose Congress in coastal districts

Mangaluru: Bollywood actor and National Billava Mahamandala vice president Rajashekhar Kotian joined the Congress, and Harish Kumar, also a Billava, took over as president of the district unit, but senior leaders of the ruling party are apprehensive that traditional voters belonging to Billava community could ditch the party in coastal districts in next year's elections to the Legislative Assembly.   

With about 2.5 lakh voters in the district, those belonging to Billava community are highest among the backward classes in Dakshina Kannada district. Ditto in Udupi district where votes of members of the community are crucial to win the polls. Congress leaders suspect that many belonging to Billava community are upset with the party in the wake of certain developments in recent days. 

“The state government has not given any representation to Billavas in the ministry. The only one representative was Vinay Kumar Sorake but was ousted during the last cabinet reshuffle. Since then there is no representation in the cabinet, Billavas are unhappy with the party,” remarked a senior leader

The leader admitted that the hostile stand of senior leaders such as former Union minister B. Janardhan Poojary, a prominent member of Billava community, and the exit of his aide Harikrishna Bantwal, who was with party for decades, would hurt the party's prospects.