Ex-Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar to quit BJP over ticket row

HUBBALLI/BENGALURU: Former chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday said he will resign from the primary membership of the BJP and as an MLA on Sunday. The decision came after his discussions with Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the party in-charge for the Karnataka assembly polls, failed to reach a consensus.
"I have been humiliated to the core and never expected such a situation in my political career. I have decided to quit the party. I am going to Sirsi to meet Speaker Visveshwara Hegde Kageri on Sunday and formally submit my resignation to him," Shettar told reporters after the marathon meeting.
'Party had no answer why ticket was denied'
I have had the opportunity to serve the party in various capacities for the last 40 years and I'm grateful for that," said the 67-year-old Shettar. "I have a clean record and have not faced any corruption charges or been involved in any sex scandal. So, I wanted to know why the party was denying me a ticket, but they had no answer."
During his talks with Pradhan, Shettar said that the BJP leadership had offered him higher positions and they were ready to give tickets to one of his family members. "But I rejected all those offers," he added.
When asked whether he would join Congress or run as an independent candidate, he declined to comment and refrained from blaming anyone in the party.
The BJP central leadership had earlier in the day sent Pradhan to the state to pacify the former CM who had raised a banner of revolt over the delay in announcing his name from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central assembly constituency.
Pradhan, along with CM Basavaraj Bommai and Union minister Pralhad Joshi, arrived in Hubballi and held marathon talks, but they failed to cut any ice.
Shettar's close aides say he has kept two options open: One, to contest as an independent if the party denies him a ticket. Second, to contest on a Congress ticket, but there is no official confirmation yet on the second option.
According to sources, Pradhan and his team categorically told Shettar that the party is not ready to offer him a ticket, but may consider him for bigger posts in future, including that of a governor, but Shettar firmly rejected the offer.
Afer a meeting with his supporters, Shettar said denying him a ticket would have a bearing on at least 20 to 25 seats.