Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai remarked on Sunday that former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar’s resignation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is unfortunate.
“It is unfortunate that he (Jagadish Shettar) is going to resign today. He was a senior leader, former CM, speaker, party president and minister also. However, when a party has decided that some seniors have to give some way to the younger generation,” CM Bommai said. “We even offered him a good position in Delhi and a ticket to his family. However, he rejected the offer and decided to contest on Hubli-Dharwad Central Assembly constituency,” he added.
There will be a small impact on the party and BJP is capable of overcoming it, he added.
Earlier in the day, BJP leader and Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar reached Sirsi where he will tender his resignation as an MLA.
On Saturday, Union Minister and Karnataka election in-charge Dharmendra Pradhan, Pralhad Joshi and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with former state chief minister Jagadish Shettar amid his ultimatum over the allocation of a ticket for the Hubli-Dharwad Central segment.
Shettar, a six-time MLA from the constituency was reportedly advised by the party to stand down and not seek a fresh term as MLA from the Hubli-Dharwad Central segment, following which his followers expressed their anguish against the party’s high command.After being left out from the BJP’s candidate lists, Shettar had issued an ultimatum to the party, saying he will consider his future political course if denied a ticket from his preferred segment.The Karnataka assembly elections will be held in a single phase on May 10, with the counting of votes scheduled on May 13.