Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar joined the Congress today after being dropped by the BJP as a candidate for next month's election, becoming the second prominent leader to switch sides since last week.
Mr Shettar, a prominent Lingayat leader, resigned as an MLA and quit the BJP yesterday. He met with senior Congress leaders late last night, flying from Hubballi to Bengaluru in a special chopper.
Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, the party's Karnataka chief DK Shivakumar and veteran leader Siddaraimah were present in the meeting in Bengaluru.
"I thought being a senior leader, BJP will give me the ticket, but when I came to know that I am not getting it, I was shocked. No one spoke to me nor tried to convince me," said Jagadish Shettar after joining Congress.
Mr Shettar said he was unhappy about the manner in which he was treated by the BJP leadership when he was denied the ticket.
"I was treated badly and forcefully thrown out of the party that I built. I am joining the Congress by accepting its ideology and principles," he said.
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge called Mr Shettar a "non-controversial" person and said that his induction will boost the enthusiasm of the party.
"I do not need to give more introduction about Jagadish Shettar. He is the person who not only wins alone, he is a person who is capable to win more seats," Mr Kharge said.
Siddaramaiah said Mr Shettar is a "decent and secular" politician who always stood with the BJP.
"He was the opposition leader when I was the Chief Minster. He was an honest party worker in BJP and always stood with the party," he said.
Mr Shettar had been sulking since he was reportedly advised by the BJP to sit out the May 10 Karnataka election and not contest from his Hubli-Dharwad Central constituency.
He had threatened to contest one way or the other.
Mr Shettar had held a press conference last week saying that he received a call from Delhi where a senior party functionary asked him to drop his candidature to make way for young people. He said this was "not acceptable" to him.
"I am not the kind of person who is adamant and stubborn, but this time I am being stubborn because the party has humiliated me," he said.
The Lingayat leader also alleged there was a systematic conspiracy against him.
The BJP said Mr Shettar has chosen himself over the party. Several options were given to Jagdish Shettar and the party never asked him to retire from politics, said BJP strongman BS Yediyurappa, hitting out at the former chief minister.
"He was given several options including a ticket being promised to a family member. The party also offered him to make a Rajya Sabha member and a Union Minister," he said.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Jagadish Shettar personally on Saturday. Mr Bommai said BJP has given the maximum number of ministerships to the Lingayat community.
Karnataka Minister CN Ashwathnarayan alleged Congress will suffer a setback by inducting Mr Shettar into the party. "He occupied all positions as a BJP leader. If he left even after getting everything, how will people look at him? Congress will suffer a setback taking him," Mr Ashwathnarayan said.
The Karnataka BJP has released two lists of candidates for the assembly election to be held next month, but 12 more candidates - including one for the Hubballi-Dharwad seat - are yet to be announced for the 224-member assembly.
Mr Shettar has won six elections in the past. He won by over 21,000 votes in the last assembly election in 2018, defeating his Congress rival Mahesh Nalwad.
Jagadish Shettar, whose family has been associated with the party since Jana Sangh days, is an influential leader from its bastion- the Kittur Karnataka region.
With this, the Lingayats will turn against the BJP and shift towards the Congress", the party's Campaign Committee Chairman M B Patil said.
Senior leader Laxman Savadi had also quit the BJP and joined Congress last week. Laxman Savadi was also a loyalist of Mr Yediyurappa and a powerful Lingayat leader.
Even before the list was announced, another senior leader, KS Eshwarappa, announced his retirement from electoral politics. Sources say he had received hints that he would be dropped.
The results of the Karnataka election will be declared on May 13.
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