BENGALURU: Senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has lashed out at Jagadish Shettar for resigning from Bharatiya Janata Party saying, “No one will forgive him for betraying the party”.
Soon after Shettar’s resignation, Yediyurappa, who addressed a press conference at the BJP media office, said, “Shettar was with the BJP since the Jan Sangh was started. The party made him MLA, state president, minister and Chief Minister. We made Shettar the leader of the opposition going against B B Shivappa and the late Ananth Kumar and me were his guardians. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is respected all over the world. In such a situation, Shettar’s statements and his decision are contrary to his beliefs”.
Yediyurappa further said, “The party gave him everything he asked for. We work for the country, whether we hold a position or not, and that’s how we have lived. A person cannot grow without the cooperation of the party. A person cannot become Chief Minister without the support of the party. However, Shettar persisted and joined the Congress, which is an unforgivable crime. He has betrayed the party and no one will forgive him”.
“The BJP is a national party and it should grow with old roots and new shoots. The party high command had told him that he will be elected to the Rajya Sabha and given a ministerial post at the Centre. But he defied everything and joined the Congress party which tried to divide the Lingayat community”, Yediyurappa said, adding that he was upset by Shettar’s move.
“The BJP has given equal status to me, Shettar, Savadi, Eshwarappa and given us many opportunities. It recognised ordinary party workers like me and has been able to win the hearts of people across the state”, he noted.
On Laxman Savadi, the former CM said, “Although Savadi lost his Assembly seat, he was made a member of the Legislative Council and given the post of deputy chief minister. The party made him MLA, minister, MLC, Deputy CM, core committee member and gave him all the status”.
“Savadi could still continue as an MLC and there was no obstacle or objection to making him a minister again. But he also betrayed the party. What injustice was done to him by the BJP? What was he worried about? He cheated the party, broke the trust. People will not forgive Savadi”, Yediyurappa remarked.
“I am 80 years old and I have dedicated my entire life to the BJP and to the country. No one can stop BJP from coming to power in the state. We have given tickets to new faces and we have tried to take all communities together. The seniors in the party should allow youngsters to grow in politics”, he added.