Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined Congress, said that the BJP had damaged his self-respect and that people of the state are intelligent enough not to support such a party. Shettar said, “Many Lingayat leaders left BJP. Hurting my self-respect means hurting the people of the region, which will affect the vote bank of the BJP. The people of the state are wise enough not to cast their vote for BJP.”
“Byadagi in Haveri district is not in my constituency. There are so many Congress candidates who are asking me to campaign in their constituencies. BJP senior leaders of the Lingayat community have said that they are going to join the Congress and hundreds of followers within one or two days will also join,” he said.

Shettar joined the Congress party a day after quitting the BJP after being denied a ticket for the May 10 assembly polls in the state.

Reacting to BJP plans for a “Lingayat CM” campaign, he said that it would not work in their favour and people will not believe their statement.

“Why have they started it now? Why did they not do so earlier? BJP is doing it only for election purposes, people will not believe in their campaign even if they declare a Lingayat CM,” said Shettar.

Jagadish Shettar became the second senior leader from the Lingayat community to leave the ruling BJP and join Congress in less than a week. Earlier, former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi joined the Congress.

Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent telephone call to senior Karnataka BJP leader and former minister KS Eswarappa, Mr Shettar said that it was all part of the tactics being employed by BJP to cover up the damage they had done.

“After all the damage caused now, they started a cover-up of this, it will not work out. I want to ask the reason why they denied my ticket. I am 67 years old, and Eshwaarappan ji is 75. Why is there a comparison between Eswarappa and Jagdish Shetter? I have no corruption charges, nothing. Other ministers who have charges against them have been given tickets,” said Shettar.

Eswarappa had recently conveyed to BJP’s central leadership his decision to retire from electoral politics and had requested to not consider fielding him in the assembly polls from Shivamogga, from where he was a five-time MLA.

Meanwhile, Shettar is set to contest from his home-turf Hubbali-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency with a Congress ticket. BJP has meanwhile fielded Mahesh Tenginkai against Mr Shettar for the seat in the upcoming polls. The 224-seat Assembly polls are slated to take place in a single phase on May 10 and results will be declared on May 13. 4/4