Karnataka Elections 2023: Congress fields Jagadish Shettar from Hubli-Dharwad-Central

The Congress on Tuesday released another list of 7 candidates including Jagadish Shettar, who recently joined the party after resigning from the BJP. Shettar has been fielded from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central, a seat he has won many times. He was denied a ticket by the BJP. 

Earlier today, BJP's Arun Singh said the BJP cadres will teach Jagadish Shettar a "lesson" by ensuring his defeat in elections for "betraying" the party. He also rejected the Congress' charge that the ruling party had insulted Lingayats by denying tickets to senior leaders from the community like him. 

Singh, who is in charge of the state, asserted that Hubli-Dharwad Central, the traditional seat of Shettar who is now fighting as a Congress candidate, has been a "safe" seat for the ruling party and will remain so. "Shettar had been winning from the constituency as it was a BJP seat and not because of any mass base which he never had. BJP cadres are upset with his betrayal of the party and will ensure his defeat. He will be taught a lesson," Singh told PTI. 

The BJP has fielded Mahesh Tenginkai from Hubli-Dharwad Central. Singh said that Tenginkai is also a Lingayat like Shettar and belongs to the same subcaste as the former chief minister. Accusing the BJP of humiliating him by denying him a poll ticket, Shettar severed his decades-old ties with the party and joined the Congress which has fielded him from his traditional seat.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday said the exit of Shettar from the BJP would have no adverse impact on the party's prospects in the elections, and he was surprised by his decision to join the Congress. Shettar, a six-time MLA, parted ways with the BJP after being denied a ticket to contest from Hubli-Dharwad (Central), which he represented in the outgoing Assembly. 

(With inputs from PTI)