BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar said that he has asked the party to allow him to contest the Karnataka elections.
Bengaluru:
With less than a month to go on polling day in the assembly elections, the Karnataka BJP is facing its first major rebellion by a senior leader. BJP MLA and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar declared that he was upset after the party asked him to make way for others and indicated that he would not be given a ticket.
MLA from Hubli Mr. Shettar has won six elections in the past. He had won the last assembly elections in 2018 by a margin of over 21,000 votes, defeating his Congress rival Mahesh Nalwad.
“In the last six elections, I got elected with a margin of more than 21,000 votes. What are my minus points?” Mr Shettar, looking clearly upset, told reporters.
BJP has not yet released the list of its candidates in Karnataka. The party’s election committee, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met in Delhi over the weekend to finalize the names.
Citing that there is no blemish in his political career, Shettar said that he has told the party leadership to allow him to contest the elections this time too.
“I only ask one question – I won six times, there is no blemish in my career and there is no allegation against me. So why am I being thrown out? I want to tell the party that allowed me to contest Go, otherwise it will not happen.” Good for the party,” said the BJP MLA, who was chief minister in 2012.
He stopped short of announcing that he would contest as an independent if he was not given the ticket, but his threat indicated that he might do so.
Shettar told reporters, “I have pledged my loyalty to the BJP. Even (the party’s) recent survey (on the polls) has proved that I have an edge. But a call from the party leadership I’m disappointed after coming.”
The BJP tries to bring in fresh, young faces ahead of state elections, as was seen in Gujarat ahead of the assembly elections last year.
Shettar said, “I will ask the party to define seniority so that there is no confusion about how they decide who will contest. I have a clean image and won Hubli with good numbers.”
An unhappy Mr Shettar could pose a problem for the BJP in Hubballi and the north Karnataka region, where he is an influential figure.
The former chief minister has been associated with several reforms, including the Kalsa Banduri drinking water project, construction of an assembly building in Belagavi, and shifting the headquarters of the South Western Railway to the Hubli-Dharwad area.
He comes from the powerful Lingayat community, whose support every party seeks.
Karnataka will vote on May 10; Votes will be counted after three days.