BJP inducts Muthalik but dumps him within hours

Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said in Delhi the central leadership was not consulted on the decision and has disapproved of it. "It had instructed the state party to reject the membership of Muthalik."

Soon after the party chief's call, Joshi said the decision allowing entry of Muthalik has been set aside. "Due to various reasons, induction of Pramod Muthalik has been set aside under central party direction by the state president Prahlad Joshi," said a statement issued by the party's Karnataka unit.

Asked about the confusion, Joshi said the decision to induct Muthalik into the party was taken at the state level.

51-year-old Muthalik had shot into limelight after activists of his right-wing outfit had barged into the pub in Mangalore in 2009 and assaulted youngsters - women and men - after accusing them of behaving in an "obscene manner".

Muthalik, who was arrested after the incident, had apologised for the violence but claimed that their actions were "aimed at protecting the women". The then Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa had said Sri Ram Sene had "nothing to do" with BJP or the Sangh parivar.

Congress slammed BJP's move to induct Muthalik saying that its leaders, including Sushma Swaraj have been talking about women's empowerment but their party was now "glaringly opposing women's emancipation" and had been exposed. Party leader Ambika Soni said people should send a firm message in the coming election that "any party which honours, appeases people who publicly violate the self-respect and dignity of women are not going to be tolerated". "You can see this is height of opportunism and I think that women across the country should take a very decisive call on this." BJP leader and Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar also asked the party leadership to reconsider the decision to induct Muthalik.