Udupi : The contestant of the Congress Party for the MLC election, Pratapchandra Shetty said that he had the intention of allowing others to take over from me, but my party workers put pressure on me that I should contest in the MLC election this time, said sitting MLC, Pratapchandra Shetty at Udupi.

He was speaking to media persons at the Udupi Press Club on Tuesday, 8th December, 2015 that since six years he used to convey messages and write to party workers that he had given gratitude in various occasions for the party workers and had made my intention very clear. The letter could have been unfortunately now becomes an issue. I think that I do not have committed any sin by contesting election. My party workers wanted to and my party leaders wanted to contest in the election. There would be no intention to make any wrong doings to others, he said.

Pratapchandra Shetty was speaking along with top congress leaders at press club with the media persons. Vinay Kumar Sorake said that the decision to contest in the MLC election by Pratapchandra Shetty was unanimous during the meeting which Jayaprakash Hegde and Bhujanga Shetty’s presence. The decision took in the presence of party ministers, elected representatives, block congress leaders and others. Pratapchandra Shetty has done a good job during his past MLC tenure and he also worked for the party for the past 35 years. Oscar Fernandes being a senior most leader of the party and he is the part of the high command. We insisted to Oscar Fernandes after the decision taken by the party workers.

Sorake said that we will do the campaigning at district, taluk and all grassroot levels for Pratapchandra Shetty in the MLC election. Our efforts will convince to Jayaprakash Hegde and Bhujanga Shetty to withdraw the nomination. The party workers need to contest MLC election by Pratapchandra Shetty and surely he will be the winner. He hopes that the differences will be solved by the intervention of state leadership and high command.

Pramod Madwaraj said that it will be wrong to say that Oscar Fernandes senior leader and one of the part of the high command is nothing to do with the selection. The party workers need to contest in the election by Pratapchandra Shetty and prior to that we consulted all the concerned leaders and party workers. Oscar Fernandes consulted the elected representatives, block presidents and others prior to nominate Pratapchandra Shetty’s decision to contest the election.

Gopal Bhandary also said that it will be large majority of the workers decision to contest election by the Pratapchandra Shetty in the meeting which all party workers present. It was the decision of the district congress committee.

Gopal Poojary, District President of the congress committee, said that Jayaprakash Hegde is a senior leader of the party. He has the right to contest in the election. We consulted all the party leaders in the district before taking the decision in favor of Pratapchandra Shetty. It is not the sole decision of Oscar Fernandes nor his decision being a district President. He took the decision after consulting with all concerned. We will try to convince Jayaprakash Hegde to withdraw his nomination.

In reply to the questions raised by the media persons, Pratapchandra Shetty said that he has raised voice for the common people for the problem they facing and it is wrong to say that he didn’t visit grama Panchayats when required. He had done all his best for the people during his tenure as MLC and for 35 years he has worked positively for the party as active worker.

During the press meet, former MLA Sabhapathy U, Abdul Gaffoor state congress committee member, block congress presidents and others were present.