HUBBALLI: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined Congress, has said that the BJP had hurt his self-respect and that people of the state are intelligent enough not to support such a party. “Many Lingayat leaders left the BJP. Hurting my self-respect means hurting the people of the region, which will affect the vote bank of the BJP. The people of the state are wise enough not to cast their vote for BJP”, he said.
Shettar pointed out, “Byadagi in Haveri district is not in my constituency, but there are so many Congress candidates who are asking me to campaign in their constituencies. Senior BJP leaders of the Lingayat community have said that they are going to join the Congress and hundreds of followers will also join within one or two days”, he said.
Reacting to the BJP’s plans for a ‘Lingayat CM’ campaign, he said that it will not work in their favour and people will not believe their statement. “Why have they started it now? Why did they not do so earlier? The BJP is doing it only for the purpose of the Assembly election and people will not believe in their campaign even if they declare a Lingayat CM”, Shettar said.
Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent telephone call to senior Karnataka BJP leader and former minister K S Eshwarappa, Shettar said that it was all part of the tactics being employed by the BJP to cover up damage they had done.
“After all the damage caused now, they started a cover-up of this and it will not work out. I want to ask the reason why they denied my ticket. I am 67 years old, Eshwarappa is 75, why is there a comparison between Eswarappa and Jagdish Shetter? I have no corruption charges or anything. Other ministers who have charges against them have been given tickets”, said Shettar.
Shettar is contesting from his home-turf Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency on a Congress ticket. The BJP has fielded Mahesh Tenginakai against Shettar for the seat in the upcoming polls. (ANI)