Hubbali: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar — contesting on a Congress ticket hoping to reclaim his misplaced self-respect– nonetheless has images of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah hanging on a wall in his home-office and says it isn’t good to take away them. The images adorn the wall though he’s ‘harm’ the BJP selected to not choose him for the May 10 meeting elections. Having represented Hubli-Dharwad Central since 1994 on a BJP ticket, Shettar, nevertheless, claimed the saffron occasion had no “address” earlier there and that he constructed it since then, making it a “Shettar vs Congress” battle ever since.
After severing his decades-old ties with the saffron occasion, Shettar now within the final leg of his political profession places a Congress flag on his automotive and units out for campaigning together with the occasion employees. Trying to place the previous apart, Shettar is assembly supporters and occasion employees at his home-office sitting on his common couch with two images of Modi and Shah nonetheless held on the wall behind.
In an interview with the information company PTI, whereas being seated on the identical chair, Shettar requested, “What is so surprising about it,” when queried why he has not eliminated the images after exiting BJP.
He mentioned: “Immediately after shifting from one party to another, removing photos of earlier leaders is not a good thing. I cannot do that.”
In the previous, Shettar and his spouse have mentioned a number of instances they’ve respect for Modi and Shah.
Stating this might be his final meeting election, the six-time MLA mentioned, “This election is a fight for my self-respect, not for political aspirations. As my self-respect was damaged, I joined the Congress for my own peace without putting conditions,” he added.
BJP ought to have given an honourable exit for him by fielding him from right here for the final time. “It did not happen due to General Secretary (Organisation) B L Santhosh who pushed for a ticket for his close associate and did all this drama,” he claimed.
Shettar additional mentioned the ballot ticket was denied additionally as a result of there was apprehension he could declare the primary place amongst Lingayats after former chief minister B S Yediyurappa.
Asked if he was going through issue in convincing voters as a Congress candidate now, he admitted going through some “embarrassment” at first. Gradually, voters are realising when instructed he was denied a BJP ticket with none purpose.
“Nobody knows why I was denied a ticket despite having popularity, age, no criminal background, and no corruption/CDs. Whereas the BJP has given tickets to 75-year-old people, family members and those who have a criminal background,” he mentioned.
Shettar talked about he was receiving a constructive public response up to now and added, “I have still maintained popularity because of pro-development works. There is no anti-incumbency. I am confident of winning with a thumping majority this time.”
He mentioned there’s a “miscommunication” that he gained within the final six consecutive elections with the help of BJP employees and Marathas.
Shettar shared that he first contested on a BJP ticket in 1994 and earlier than that, he nurtured the saffron occasion for 3 years. Then he grew to become president of a celebration unit and later the state chief.
Asserting the BJP didn’t have an “address” right here, he mentioned previous to 1994, the saffron occasion didn’t have any existence within the area and that its candidates had misplaced their deposits. “I built the party and it has always been — Shettar versus Congress.”
The former chief minister additionally mentioned he was not “power hungry” and if he was then he would have turn into a minister within the Basavaraj Bommai-led cupboard.
“Bommai is junior to me in politics. Immediately after his swearing-in as CM, I did not join the cabinet. I have been working as an MLA for the last two years.”
On JD(S) chief C M Ibrahim’s demand to probe Shettar’s properties in and round Hubbali, he mentioned, “I have not constructed any bungalow in Bengaluru.”
“Here also, I have limited property within the legal purview. I am not a political leader worth Rs 1,000 crore. I don’t have crores of transactions. These are all vague allegations.”
Asked if his exit has affected his son’s political prospects within the BJP, Shettar mentioned, “I always believe: one family, one power is sufficient… I am not going to insist that my children become my successor. If they have leadership and interest, they can grow.”
With per week left for voting, the Congress chief mentioned his household has taken this election as a private problem.
“More than me, my wife is working hard in this election. She is campaigning for me door-to-door,” he added.
