The former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar expressed the confidence that BJP candidate Devendrappa would win with a margin of over one lakh votes in the elections to the Lok Sabha from Ballari Parliamentary Constituency.

Responding to questions here on Tuesday, Mr. Shettar said that the wave was in favour of the BJP and Mr. Devendrappa on the one hand while, on the other, all is not well in the Congress. “Therefore, we are confident of recapturing Ballari seat by a margin of over a lakh vote,” he reiterated.

Mr. Shettar took exception over the tone and tenor of senior Congress leader D.K. Shivakumar chiding the BJP for not being able to find a candidate within its party and chose to field a person from the Congress. “It is not only Devendrappa even A. Manju and many others have joined the BJP,” he said.

“People of Ballari are very emotional and have self-respect. They would not tolerate any arrogance from anybody. Mr. Shivakumar should realise this and should stop making statements filled with arrogance,” he said, while recalling the latter’s statement that he was ready to carry a body and also a palanquin indicating that he was supreme in the party.

Earlier, Mr. Shettar addressed a meeting of party workers and exhorted the workers to strive to regain the Lok Sabha seat from the Congress.

MLAs B. Sriramulu and G. Somashekar Reddy, Mr. Devendrappa, and Channabasavanagouda, district BJP president, addressed the gathering.