Controversial activist Pramod Muthalik, who joined and exited the BJP within hours on Sunday
A controversial activist notorious for an attack on women at a pub was welcomed by the BJP's Karnataka leaders on Sunday with crashing results - the party in Delhi set up No Entry barriers for Pramod Muthalik, who faces 45 criminal cases including one linked to promoting religious hate.
Five years ago, Mr Muthalik was arrested for a vicious assault on women at a Mangalore pub; they were dragged by their hair, slapped and manhandled by Mr Muthalik's activists, who accused them of "loose morals."
The 61-year-old's entry into the BJP ahead of next month's national election caused such strong and widespread backlash that within hours, the party withdrew it.
Senior BJP leader Arun Jaitley told NDTV that leaders in Delhi were taken aback by the Karnataka BJP's decision, but corrective measures had been taken. Mr Muthalik's immediate removal, he said, showed that the BJP is willing to remedy its mistakes.
"The Karnataka state unit has no idea that India has changed," Mr Jaitley added.
Sources say what the BJP's central leaders have called a blunder was seen political expediency by its Karnataka unit. A week ago, Mr Muthalik had threatened to contest from Dharwad against state BJP president Prahlad Joshi, who was present at his welcome yesterday.
A defiant Mr Muthalik today hit out at the BJP, saying his joining was cleared by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh or RSS, the party's ideological mentor.
"The BJP's central leadership has sent a wrong message. It is the state BJP chief's responsibility to solve the mess," Mr Muthalik said.
Sources say the activist had been lobbying to contest as a BJP candidate and had also threatened to put up his candidates in many constituencies, which could split the party's votes.
Mr Muthalik's Sri Ram Sene is a pro-Hindu group known for its religious chauvinism and militant protests against what it calls "cultural invasion."
Many in the BJP see him as a factor that could consolidate pro-Hindu votes.
He has been associated with the RSS in the past. In 2005, he joined the BJP longtime ally Shiv Sena, but left the next year.