Udupi mutt seer enters Karna poll fray as independent " " "

In a first in the history of the several centuries old 'Ashta (eight) Mutts' of Udupi, a pontiff today entered the electoral fray,filing his nomination as an independent for the May 12 Karnataka assembly polls.

Shiroor mutt chief"Sri Lakshmivara Theertha Swami filed the papers after an unsuccessful bid to contest on a BJP ticket.

The Swami is the first among the heads in the history of Ashta mutts to contest elections.

He told reporters at Udupi that he was expecting a BJP ticket, but was denied it.

"My candidature as an independent will benefit the BJP and the Prime Minister and I am confident of a victory with people's support," he said.

State Fisheries, Sports and Youth Empowerment Minister Pramod Madhwaraj is his main opponent.

Former MLA Raghupathi Bhat is the BJP candidate.

The swami had said recently he wanted to contest the poll as an independent since "the system here is not right. I want to contest with an intention that it should be right."
Describing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as his role model, he had also said that if the BJP gave him the ticket, he would "happily accept it."