Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has accused BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh of “destroying the party’s prospects” in the upcoming assembly elections and as part of his “gameplan” to take complete control of the BJP. accused of ending”. State Unit.
A six-time MLA and prominent Lingayat face, Shettar joined the Congress on Monday after he was denied a ticket by the BJP – one of the most high-profile exits in the run-up to the May 10 polls. He will contest from the Hubli-Dharwad (Central) seat – which he represented in the outgoing lower house – on a Congress ticket after the BJP denied him the opportunity.
Speaking to media persons on Tuesday, Shettar launched a scathing attack against Santosh, whom he referred to as a ‘manasputra’ (‘mind-born’ son of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation), who is believed to have Gave birth to many children. his mind).
“When I studied all this, I realized that it was a conspiracy. Central leaders knew that Jagadish Shettar was likely to win with an even bigger margin. When the question of ticket cutting came, I saw a prominent person. There may be other people with this person but I immediately saw that he is the person everyone respects… BL Santhosh. He is the main reason for all this.
The former chief minister also targeted the Tamil Nadu BJP president and Annamalai, the election co-in-charge for the party in Karnataka, Karnataka party chief Nalin Kumar Kateel and several others accused him of pushing his own candidates and “humiliating” senior leaders, leading to his departure.
Besides Shettar, other senior state BJP leaders who have resigned after being denied tickets include former Deputy Chief Minister and Lingayat leaders Laxman Savadi and KS Eshwarappa.
A divisive figure in Karnataka politics, BL Santhosh commands staunch loyalty from a section of BJP leaders but also evokes strong feelings from those who oppose his “excessive interference” in state affairs.
On Tuesday, Shettar also claimed that some people from Santosh’s camp have kept the state in their fist.
Santosh’s ‘conspiracy’ and the Lingayat puzzle
Santosh, a Brahmin, shares a troubled relationship With former chief minister and tallest Lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa. He was earlier accused of being responsible for sidelining Yeddyurappa and ousting him from the top chair in 2021. There were also reports of the former allegedly trying to take over as chief minister himself, which led to protests from the dominant camp Lingayat community.
Shettar on Tuesday claimed that Santhosh hatched a “conspiracy” to give ticket to state BJP general secretary Mahesh Tenginkai from Hubballi-Dharwad (Central), and this would impact the party’s prospects across the state.
Shettar’s exit and Yediyurappa’s decision not to contest – which many believe was not voluntary – has added to this. party’s Growing discord with the Lingayat community, which has supported the BJP since 2008. Former Deputy CM Laxman Savadi also split with the BJP and is contesting from Athani on a Congress ticket, jumping on the list of Lingayat leaders and lending credence to members’ claims that people from the community are being mistreated by the party. Had been.
The community wavered in its support even during the tenure of Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Initial Reluctance to heed the reservation related demands and agitation of the group.
Shettar told reporters that he had expressed his concern about the ‘whisper campaign’ against him in the state BJP core committee meetings, but no one paid attention to it. “It is not about troubling any one constituency, but it will crack the foundation of the party in the entire state,” he said.
The former chief minister alleged that because of Santosh, several other senior party leaders, who have a “poor record” of electoral defeats, were denied tickets.
‘Modi, Shah not being given complete information about discord’
Shettar also claimed that Dharmendra Pradhan, Arun Singh and other senior leaders, who are in-charge of Karnataka, are not providing all the information. About this Ground level rift with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
On Annamalai, he said, ‘There are many people who have won six, seven times. But a person who has never contested an election has been made co-in-charge of Karnataka.
He said that he and former chief ministers like DV Sadananda Gowda were made to sit in the second row at most party meetings like “little boys”, while Annamalai and others used to sit in the front chairs. “When we were in power, he was an IPS officer who used to take orders from us. After he joined BJP and became co-incharge, we had to sit in front of him like little boys. Why do we need this humiliation?”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
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