Jagadish Shettar joins Congress party
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“Jagadish Shettar has been a senior and an important leader in this region. JP Nadda and Union Home Minister had promised a big post in Delhi to Shettar. Everything would have been fine if the former CM had continued,” Basavaraj Bommai told media in Hubballi. Mr Jagadish Shettar joined the Congress today after being dropped by the BJP as a candidate for next month’s election, becoming the second prominent leader to switch sides since last week.
Jagadish Shettar was inducted into the Congress by party president Mallikarjun Kharge at the party office in Bengaluru. KPCC president D K Shivakumar and Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala and Siddaramaiah were present on the occasion.
Earlier, on Sunday, Mr Shettar alleged that some Karnataka BJP leaders were mishandling the party in the State. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and CM Basavraj Bommai met Mr Shettar at his Hubballi residence. They offered him that his family members could contest the election and would be given other important positions, but he refused.
According to BJP sources, after Mr Pradhan and Chief Minister’s visit, BJP top brass also called Mr Shettar and offered him the post of governor or central minister, but he refused to take the offers.
He said that he only wants to work as MLA for his constituency, and has no desire for any big post. “Now, I have decided to resign from the party. I will not take back my decision even if they decide to give me the ticket,” Mr Shettar was quoted as saying.
Shettar flew from Hubballi to Bengaluru in a special helicopter to meet Congress general secretary (Karnataka in-charge) Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress state chief D K Shivakumar, former minister M B Patil and veteran Congress leader Shamanur Shivashankarappa, reported PTI.
