Nalin Kumar Kateel is a second-time Lok Sabha MP who represents Dakshina Kannada parliamentary constituency. He is contesting again from the constituency on a BJP ticket this time. Dakshina Kannada constituency comprises Belthangady, Moodabidri, Mangalore City North (previously Surathkal), Mangalore South (previously Mangalore), Mangalore (previously Ullal), Bantwal, Puttur and Sulia assembly constituencies.

Kateel was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2009, upon defeating Congress representative Janardhan Poojary by 40,420 votes. Prior to this, he was the District General Secretary of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Kateel again contested in the general election in 2014, and was re-elected by a margin of 1,43,709 votes.

Personal information

Name: Nalin Kumar Kateel

Age: 52 years

Constituency: Dakshina Kannada

Party:  Bharatiya Janata Party

Term: 2009-2014, 2014-Present

Education: 10th Pass (SSLC), St.Philomena School, Puttur, 1983

Permanent Address: No. 201, Ashoka Apartment (Near Daiwajna Kalyana Mantapa), Hoigebail Road, Ashok Nagar, Mangalore – 575006

Present Address: 20, Mahadev Road, New Delhi – 110 001

Phone: (0824) 244319/ 2455215, 9448549445

Website: http://nalinkateel.com/

Twitter: @nalinkateel ‏

Facebook: kateelnalin

Instagram: nalin_kumar_kateel

Pending criminal cases: In 2019, four cases were registered and charges framed, against Kateel. The cases were filed as per IPC Section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of duty), IPC 141/143/145/149 (related to unlawful assembly), IPC 147 (punishment for rioting), IPC 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), IPC 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), IPC 506 (criminal intimidation), IPC 268 (public nuisance).

Assets & Liabilities

Between 2014 and 2019, Kateel’s assets increased from Rs 87.8 lakh to Rs 1.46 cr.

Source: myneta

Positions held

In 15th Lok Sabha (2009 -2014)

• Member, Standing Committee on Commerce

In 16th Lok Sabha (2014-present)

• Member, Committee of Estimates
• Member, Standing Committee on Agriculture
• Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Home Affairs

Performance in parliament

Kateel’s attendance in parliament in his present term (2014-19) is 92 percent, well above the national average of 80 percent. He has participated in 45 debates and raised 687 questions this term. He has not introduced any private members’ bill.

Some major debates Kateel participated were on:

• Recent flood and drought situation in various parts of the country
• Instances of political murders in Karnataka
• Identification of missing persons and probe into how many have joined Islamic extremism
• Withdrawal of notification regarding eco-sensitive zone in Karnataka

Find more details on Kateel’s performance here.

MP in news

Locally, media reports have repeatedly highlighted the resentment of BJP cadres and senior local leaders towards Nalin Kumar Kateel for underperforming in his tenure. Many were also opposed to BJP announcing Kateel as its candidate again this election.

The MP has also been noted for not doing enough for the seven fishermen from his constituency who went missing in the seas last December. He has also attracted local outrage for not being able to convince the central government against the merger of the locally-grown Vijaya bank with the Bank of Baroda.

MPLADS funds

As per the MPLADS website of the Ministry of Statistics, works worth Rs 18.9 cr had been sanctioned out of Kateel’s overall MPLADS fund of Rs 25 cr.

Of Rs 18.9 cr sanctioned, Rs 17.3 cr has been spent in the last five years. Kateel has claimed that he has used much of his MPLADS funds for development of railways, roads and bridges. This February, he flagged off a tri-weekly special train from Mangalore to Yeshwanthpur (Bengaluru).