Last Update: April 12, 2023, 6:25 pm IST
Jagadish Shettar said he was elected to the assembly six times and each time won the seat with a margin of 25,000 or more votes. (File photo/News18)
On Tuesday, Shettar said he was told by the BJP’s central leadership not to contest the polls, to which he conveyed his displeasure with the decision to top party officials.
A day after expressing his disappointment over the prospect of not getting a BJP ticket to contest the 2023 Karnataka Assembly polls, there is now a “99 per cent chance” that former chief minister Jagadish Shettar will be given an opportunity to contest the May 10 polls. Senior state party leader BS Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said the 67-year-old MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad Central would be fielded from Hubballi city.
When asked about Shettar’s disappointment at not getting the ticket, former Chief Minister Yediyurappa said, “99 per cent Jagadish Shettar (former CM of Karnataka) will be given election ticket and his name will be cleared in Hubli city.”
On meeting BJP national president JP Nadda, Shettar said, ‘I met Nadda and told him everything. I expressed my view to contest the election. He is going to discuss it with other leaders and then come to a conclusion.”
On Tuesday, Shettar said the BJP’s central leadership had asked him not to contest the polls, to which he conveyed his displeasure over the decision to top party leaders. He had said that he had told the leadership that he would contest again and requested them to give him a chance. He told them that their decision was not acceptable to him and urged the top party leaders to reconsider it.
“I got messages from seniors in the party that I am a senior and former chief minister. So make way for others… If you had told me two-three months ago, it would have been a matter of respect for me. When the enrollment (to start) is just two days away, I am definitely hurt. I have told them that I will contest the elections. Whatever you have said is not acceptable to me. So, please reconsider your decision and give me an opportunity to contest again,” Shettar, former BJP state unit president and assembly speaker, had said.
Shettar said he was elected to the assembly six times and each time won the seat with a margin of 25,000 votes or more.
BJP released the first list of 189 candidates on Tuesday evening. The process of filing nominations will start from April 13 and continue till April 20.
The BJP aims to retain power in Karnataka by securing a majority in the 224-seat assembly.
(With inputs from PTI)
read all latest politics news Here
