Karnataka Polls: Former BJP leader Jagadish Shettar files nomination from Hubli-Dharwad-Central on Congress ticket
1 min read . Updated: 19 Apr 2023, 01:48 PM IST
Premium- Another senior BJP leader, Amar Singh Patil, also joined the Congress party along with Shettar.
Congress leader Jagadish Shettar on Wednesday submitted his nomination from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central assembly constituency for the forthcoming Karnataka assembly elections.
According to ANI, In less than a week, the Congress party has welcomed two senior leaders from the Lingayat community who have left the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Jagadish Shettar has become the second leader to join the Congress after Laxman Savadi, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Shettar is now a candidate in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly Elections from the Hubli-Dharwad-Central constituency. He will be competing against BJP candidate Mahesh Tenginkai in the election, which is scheduled for May 10th.
Jagadish Shettar was welcomed into the Congress party in the presence of several prominent leaders, including the party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, the Karnataka state Congress president DK Shivakumar, and the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah.
Another senior BJP leader, Amar Singh Patil, also joined the Congress party along with Shettar.
Shettar said, "Yesterday I left BJP and today I joined the Congress party. Many are surprised as an opposition leader, former chief minister and party president is joining Congress. BJP has given me every position and being a party worker I always worked for the party's growth."
Shettar further said, “I was contacted by DK Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, Surjewala and MB Patil. When they invited me I came without any other option. I am joining Congress wholeheartedly."
Earlier in the day, BJP released its list of star campaigners for the upcoming Karnataka Assembly elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, party president JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Union Minister Smriti Irani, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh are among those who will be campaigning in the state.
The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13.