New Delhi: Former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Wednesday said that Jagadish Shettar, who recently switched from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to Congress, won't win in the upcoming Assembly elections. Yediyurappa, a senior BJP leader, said that Shettar has backstabbed the saffron party and that he can give in writing in the blood that he won't win from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central constituency.
"Jagadish Shettar has backstabbed the BJP and the members of the party. With all his selfishness, he left the party and joined the Congress. We should make sure he will be defeated here in Hubli. I can write with my blood that he will lose this election on a Congress ticket," BS Yediyurappa said during a meeting in Hubli.
#WATCH | "I will give it in writing with blood that Jagadish Shetter will not win from here," says BJP leader BS Yediyurappa in a meeting in Hubballi.
Congress leader Jagadish Shettar is contesting from Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency in Karnataka
(Video source:BJP) pic.twitter.com/mdfj3PgsxH
— ANI (@ANI) April 26, 2023
Jagadish Shettar, however, said that he takes criticism from BS Yediyurappa as his 'blessing' in this election.
"Amit Shah came here and attacked me. Many from BJP have joined Congress recently but they are targeting me only. I take criticism from BS Yediyurappa as his blessing in this election... His wish for me (to lose) will convert into success for me," the Congress leader said.
Shettar, who is a former Karnataka CM, is one of the most prominent political figures in the fray in the May 10 Assembly elections. His falling out with the BJP over not getting a ticket, and then taking on the party he served for years, has been in the spotlight for a few days now.
A staunch RSS man, he was part of the Jan Sangh and BJP for several decades before severing his ties with the party.
The BJP has now pitched Mahesh Tenginkai against Shettar in the Hubli-Dharwad Central seat.
Earlier on Monday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that Shettar will not win the polls this time, and pointed out that Hubli-Dharwad has always voted for the BJP.
"Jagadish Shettar will lose the election, Hubli has always voted for the BJP, not for any person. Reason for him not being given the ticket was conveyed to him," Shah said while addressing a press conference in the Karnataka district.
On Shettar and former deputy CM Laxman Savadi (who too quit the BJP recently), alleging that Lingayats were being humiliated in the saffron party and holding party General Secretary BL Santosh responsible for it, Shah said that his party believes in teamwork and is not under any control of anyone.
"BJP Chief Minister (Basavaraj Bommai) himself is a Lingayat, what are they speaking (about party humiliating Lingayats)?"," he added.
Voting will take place in Karnataka on May 10 and the results will be out on May 13.
