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Accompanied by wife Jyothi, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, former ministers Basavaraj Bommai, Govind Karjol, MLA Arvind Bellad, farmers' leader Babagouda Patil and a large number of supporters arrived at the DC's office around 1.45 PM and filed two sets of papers.
The BJP state chief who is eying a hat trick of victories was brought in a huge procession in an open jeep along with other leaders from the BJP's office on Subhas road.
Addressing supporters, Shettar, Bommai and others said Joshi's performance as MP and the BJP's commitment towards the people coupled with the nationwide cry to anoint Narendra Modi to the post of prime minister would ensure Joshi's victory and added that the BJP would romp home with over 20 seats in the state.
Answering queries from reporters after filing his papers Prahlad Joshi said his good work for the development of the constituency in and outside the parliament would stand in his stead and added that the voters were wise enough to assess the performance of the party and candidate, and cast their votes.
He said, the Lok Sabha elections could not be compared with the assembly elections and cited the example of the BJP faring well in the Lok Sabha elections in the state even when it was not in power in the state. In Dharwad, the party has been bagging the seat from 1996 and would continue its winning spree, he added.
On whether the party was pressing the panic button following rumours that MLA Vinay Kulkarni, a Lingayat, was being fielded as the Congress nominee, Joshi replied that irrespective of who is the Congress candidate, the BJP would win the seat.
He denied that Sri Ram Sena chief Pramod Mutalik's return to BJP was being discussed for last three months and the state BJP unit took a decision to take back Muthalik, who was earlier a member of Sangha Parivar. However, the membership offered to him was withdrawn as per the direction of the party high command. He refused to elaborate further.
"My confidence is based on four factors. As an MP, I have actively participated in the debates in Parliament and raised issues concerning the interests of the state and nation. I have been in constant touch with the electorate and have visited them many times before filing the nomination. Narendra Modi wave and anti-incumbency would add to my victory," he asserted.
On social activist S R Hiremath mentioning the name of Prahlad Joshi in the list of corrupt politicians released on Monday, Joshi said Hiremath instead of releasing the list would do well to produce documents in support of his claim.
