Great Work Done, Elect Him Again: Karnataka Congress Veteran Backs BJP MP

In a major embarrassment to Karnataka Congress, its veteran leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa urged Shivamogga Lok Sabha constituency residents to re-elect BJP MP BY Raghavendra, son of former chief minister BS Yediyurappa.

MLA Shivashankarappa asked people to re-elect Raghavendra at the Guru Basavashri Award Pradhan and Spirituality Conference organised at Bekkina Kalmata in Shivmogga, where he received the Guru Basavashri award.

"I noticed that the development works are in Shivmogga district. You have chosen a good MP. The public must elect him further. Shimoga district needs to develop more. You are blessed to have Lok Sabha members like BY Raghavendra. All the work to be done in the district has been completed and has progressed. Development work for the people should be the first priority," said Mr Shivashankarappa at the conference.

"Lok Sabha members who have worked as per the will of the people should win in the upcoming elections as well. Veerashaiva Lingayats have many sub-sects. All of them should be removed, and everyone should feel that they are the same; only then will there be unity," he added.

This is the second instance in the chain of surprising events for Congress in the state of Karnataka, as earlier on Thursday, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who had joined the Congress ahead of the 2023 legislative elections last year, returned to the BJP.

Shettar rejoined the BJP in the national capital in the presence of former Karnakata chief minister BS Yediyurappa, Union Minister Bhupender Singh Yadav, Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa, and Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

"Bharatiya Janata Party is my home. I came back to my home," Shettar said speaking to reporters on Thursday.

Shettar said he had a meeting with the party's national leadership, Amit Shah and JP Nadda, on Thursday, as well as state leaders BY Vijayendra and BS Yediyurappa, and joined the BJP following their guidance.

"Today I joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today morning, I met our national leaders, Amit Shah and JP Nadda. They heartily welcomed me. In Karnataka, I met the state party president, BY Vijayendra, BS Yediyurappa, and other leaders. They also welcomed me. I joined them according to their guidance," he said.

Responding to a question asked by a reporter on contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the former Chief Minister said, "Whatever the high command directs, I will do."

Senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa welcomed Jagdish Shettar to the party and said that the latter was thinking of rejoining the party for the last few days.

"He (Jagadish Shettar) was thinking of coming back to BJP and today we welcomed him back to the party...Today he met Amit Shah and discussed many things and without any condition he has joined our party. We welcome Jagdish Shettar to our party," Yediyurappa said speaking to reporters.

Responding to a question by a reporter whether former BJP leader Laxman Savadi, who had also quit the party ahead of the Assembly elections will rejoin the party, Yediyurappa said, "I could not contact him. Today I will contact him."

Shettar rejoined the BJP in the national capital in the presence of former Karnakata chief minister BS Yediyurappa, Union Minister Bhupender Singh Yadav, Karnataka BJP president Vijayendra Yediyurappa, Union Minister of State Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

There had been ongoing rumours about Shettar's return to the BJP for the past few days, to which the Congress leaders in Karnataka had responded by saying that the BJP's leadership crisis in the state prompted the party to head towards Shettar.

Shettar had quit BJP and joined Congress in April 2023, ahead of the Karnataka assembly elections.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)