Amid the campaigning blitzkrieg, former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over denial of ticket for the upcoming elections and is now contesting from the Congress, said that his “hard work had made Hubballi-Dharwad a BJP bastion”.

“Before my first election in 1994, I worked for the party as a unit president for three years. I got workers for the party. Then the BJP came here and I got elected. Before that, BJP candidates used to lose their deposits. It wasn’t a BJP bastion. It became one because of Shettar-BJP combination. I created the atmosphere and mindset amongst the people,” said the 67-year-old sitting MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad Central.

Elaborating on his record, Shettar further said, “All six times that I contested, I won with a huge margin. I connect with the people here. The injustice and hurting my self-respect is also showing disrespect towards people’s wishes. So a trend has started. People are saying they will vote for me looking into my individuality and work. Which party I contest from is not important.”

Shettar is hurt about being denied a ticket and hasnt held back since. “I am a senior. The party never told me what my minus point was. People over 70 are also contesting. All surveys related to me are positive. There are no charges or CD of sting operation against me. I had asked the party to give me a reason for denial. No party leader has been able to tell me why.”

Then, why the denial?

“I have said openly it is because of BL Santosh’s personal interest.”

Donning the walls of his office are still his framed pictures with PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Asked why he hasn’t removed them yet, he replied: “I only left yesterday. Why should I remove all photos with Modi and Shah? They are all memories. It’s not good human nature to throw them out immediately.”

According to Shettar, the BJP has no specific ideology anymore. “I will express my opinion on issues such as Muslim reservation on the party forum. What ideology is left in the BJP? Six ministers have CDs against, have sought a stay order from court and are contesting the election. So many rowdy-sheeters are there. They say the BJP is honest. Where? When you had less seats you brought people from the Congress majorly. Wasn’t their ideology different then?”

Shettar’s poll prediction is the Congress will win a clear majority. “The Congress will definitely get a clear majority. It could also reach 130 or above.”

When asked the reason behind it, he said, “Anti-incumbency, price rise, unemployment and corruption. Many important persons like Laxman Savadi and I have left,” he said hinting this will hurt his former party.

Shettar belongs to the Lingayat community which forms close to 17-18 per cent of Karnataka’s voting population and also has a major say in the formation of governments in the state.

“Whether the decision on Lingayat reservation [increasing it to seven per cent from the current five per cent] will benefit people is not clear. It is only a cabinet decision. How can they (BJP) say it benefitted people? Lingayats are not satisfied with what the BJP has done. People are quiet only because of the elections. After the polls, we will see,” he signed off.

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