Seething Shettar’s Switch Divides Voters, Buzz of ‘Development’ And ‘Loyalty’ Rings Out

The most famous landmark of Hubballi is Kittur Rani Chennamma, one of the first woman rulers to take on the British. The other is Jagadish Shettar’s residence. The six-time MLA, the man who opened the doors of north Karnataka to the Bharatiya Janata Party, is now with the Congress.

Like Chennamma, Shettar too is fighting a battle, against the mighty BJP. Like her, he is seething with anger at the humiliation he suffered when the BJP decided to opt for a younger face and denied him an assembly election ticket. BJP’s loss was Congress’s gain as the opposition party happily opened its doors to him with the hope that he would do for it what the veteran leader has done for the BJP.

News18 caught up with the voters to check whether Shettar’s fight against the BJP would be successful. The response has been mixed and it may not be an easy ride for the former chief minister.

Four first-time voters chatted excitedly over what will be their first electoral experience. Over plates of bisi bele bath and misal vada, Aditya and Ayush told me that they want to vote for development. Unlike Ayush, Aditya said, “There is something called loyalty. We are young and we want to be given a chance. He (Shettar) has been MLA for six terms. Maybe he should have let someone else become MLA. But he showed a lack of ideology and went to a party he has been attacking for all these years.”

But Ayush says the party doesn’t matter, the candidate and his promises do. “See, all parties are more or less the same. Whoever gives us what we want is who I will vote for,” he said.

A little further away is another landmark of Hubballi. The famous Hiremath Girmit Centre. Girmit is a snack of puffed rice that is exclusive to Hubballi and similar to bhel puri. Hiremath has been in operation for 70 years and the son who runs it now says Hubballi is synonymous with this centre and believes in loyalty.

Hiremath Junior tells me he has had many leaders like chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, Jagadish Shettar, Prahlad Joshi, etc, eat girmit made by him. And he tells me when I ask him about Shettar, “It’s about loyalty. He may go to any party but he remains Shettar for us.” It’s clear whom Hiremath is backing.

But the going may not be easy for Jagadish Shettar. The man who ensured that the Congress was kept out of north Karnataka may find it difficult to convince the voters why his jumping ship does not mean he is desperate to cling to power.

As the owner of the famous Renuka Pedha Shop told me, “It’s about money and a desperation to be in power, no matter what. What’s wrong if someone younger gets the ticket? He has been in power for so long.”

Mahesh Tenginakai is the BJP’s choice from here, who too like Shettar belongs to the Lingayat caste. He has been associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh for over two decades. And like Shettar, he too has a hold over the Hubballi-Dharwad region.

The BJP is confident that he will win. “We are 100% sure Shettar will lose. He has betrayed us. The post cannot be over party,” said Pralhad Joshi.

This is something that many young men like Aditya agree with. Not many are willing to be vocal about Shettar’s future but it’s clear that Hubballi will vote for development, caste, and possibly change.

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