November 05, 2024 16:17 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy booked for threatening cop probing into mining case | Supreme Court upholds validity of Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Act | Not all private properties are community resources that govt can take over: Supreme Court | Pakistan's Lahore has become world's most polluted city with an AQI of 1900 on Sunday | Indian Army 'successfully completes' patrolling to a key point in Ladakh's Depsang region
'No question of staying away from elections': Ex-Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar rebels against BJP
Jagadish Shettar
Image Credit: Facebook/Jagadish Shettar

'No question of staying away from elections': Ex-Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar rebels against BJP

| @indiablooms | 11 Apr 2023, 08:39 pm

Bengaluru/IBNS: The Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing a major rebellion as its MLA and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar announced that he is upset after the party asked him to make way for others in the upcoming state assembly elections.

Shettar, the MLA from Hubballi, has won six elections in the past.

He won by over 21,000 votes in the last assembly election in 2018, defeating his Congress rival Mahesh Nalwad.

After the party indicated he won't be given a ticket this time, the senior politician told reporters: "Last six elections I got elected with a margin of more than 21,000 votes. What are my minus points?"

"I am very disappointed. I have already started campaigning in my constituency, and I will intensify it. There is no question of staying away from election," said a visibly upset Shettar.

The BJP is yet to release its Karnataka candidates' list. The party's election committee including Prime Minister Narendra Modi met in Delhi over the weekend to finalise the names.

Former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa, who was also asked to make room for others in this election, has agreed not to contest.

In a letter to BJP chief JP Nadda, Eshwarappa earlier in the day, said he is retiring from electoral politics.

However, Shettar, citing "no blot" in his political career, said he has asked the party leadership to let him contest this time also.

"I ask only one question - I won six times, have no blot in my career and have no allegations against me. So why am I being excluded? I want to tell the party to allow me to contest, otherwise it won't be good for the party," said the former Chief Minister.

"I have pledged my loyalty to the BJP. Even the (party's) recent survey (on election) proved that I have an edge. But I am disappointed after getting the call from the party leadership," Shettar added.

The BJP intends to bring in new, younger faces before state elections, a move that was seen in Gujarat last year before the assembly election.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, former deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel and former state party president RC Faldu, among others, had written letters agreeing to the request by the BJP leadership to make way for others.

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.