Shettar had no plans of joining BJP till yesterday: DCM D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru, Jan 25: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar today said that Jagadhish Shettar was sure of not going back to BJP till yesterday.

Speaking to reporters at the KPCC office, he said, “I spoke to Jagadish Shettar yesterday and he told me that he would not join the BJP. I am not sure why he changed his mind today. We don’t know if there was any pressure on him. This is left to his conscience.”

“Jagadish Shettar had told me yesterday that he was getting feelers to join the BJP from his constituency leaders but he was not interested. I believed him when he said that he was not going to join the BJP as Congress had given him political rebirth, but things have changed today,” he said.

“The Congress party had treated Shettar with respect considering his seniority. He had also given many statements against the BJP with respect to Ram Mandir and other issues. I have received information that Shettar had called up and informed the Chairman of the Legislative Council that he would fax his resignation. I don’t know if he is being inducted back into the BJP by force,” he said.

Replying to a reporter who quoted Shettar as having left the Congress ‘keeping in mind the country’s interest’, he questioned, “Was he not aware of the country’s interest when he was denied a ticket? Was he not aware of the country’s interest when he was nominated as an MLC from Congress party?”

Asked if Shettar was dangled a carrot to return to the BJP, he said, “He has to answer this question. The Congress party treated him with respect. We have conscience too. Congress party works differently and the BJP works differently. As the KPCC President, I had given him the B form, but I have not received any resignation letter from him.”

Asked if people from the RSS were not trustworthy, he said, “There is no need link this to RSS. Shettar is a politician. If he was from the RSS, he would not have left the BJP at all.”

Replying to a reporter who asked if the party will at least retain Lakshman Savadi, he said, “I don’t know why Shettar has gone to BJP, but no one else is going to BJP from Congress. The Congress party invited him though the people defeated him with a margin of more than 30,000 votes.”

About Author