india

Updated: Aug 27, 2019 13:26 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party MP Nalin Kumar Kateel on Tuesday took charge as the new president of the Karnataka unit.Kateel, a three-time MP, was a surprise pick announced a week ago and is known for his controversial remarks.

Addressing party workers gathered outside the BJP office here, Kateel said he was humbled by the responsibility given to him. “I’m not a scholar or intellectual, just a humble party worker,” he said.

“There is fear in accepting this post but also belief that seniors like chief minister BS Yediyurappa and our committed party workers will stand with me so I won’t be alone,” Kateel said.

Speaking at the event, Yediyurappa said that the party had to keep the momentum going. “We set a record during the Lok Sabha elections by winning 26 of the 28 seats in the state,” he said. The CM asked party workers to now concentrate on helping people affected by the rains and floods across Karnataka as that was the priority now.

Kateel is known for his inflammatory speeches in the Dakshina Kannada district on Karnataka’s coast. He said during the Lok Sabha elections in May that Nathuram Godse had killed only one person while former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi had killed 17,000. The remark had earned him censure from party president Amit Shah.

Kateel’s selection was a surprise as BJP MLAs CT Ravi and Arvind Limbavali were speculated to be the frontrunners.

Ravi, who is minister in the Yediyurappa government, was reported to have been upset by the portfolio allocation announced Monday. However, the tourism minister, rubbished the reports. “There is no question of me being a dissident against my party,” he said. Other leaders though are believed to be upset as well.