Jagadish Shettar returns to BJP a year after joining Congress
Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Election in 2023, has rejoined the party. He left the party after being denied a ticket. He reached the BJP headquarters on Thursday afternoon, where he was welcomed back by former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and state BJP President BY Vijayendra, reports said.
Why does this story matter?
Shettar's switch is seen as a setback for the Congress, as Karnataka is just one of the three states where it is in power. The Congress-led Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance's (INDIA) standing in the upcoming general elections appears wobbly too, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) deciding to contest alone in West Bengal. The Aam Aadmi Party is also contesting alone in Punjab.
Shettar joined Congress last April
What Shettar said on rejoining BJP
"In the last 8-9 months, there were a lot of discussions in the BJP. Karnataka BJP leaders and workers asked me to come back to the BJP," Shettar said. "Yediyurappa ji and Vijayendra ji also wanted me to come back to the BJP. I am rejoining the party with the belief that Narendra Modi ji has to become the PM again," he added.
He contested from his Hubli-Central Dharwad constituency
After joining the Congress, he contested from his Hubli-Central Dharwad constituency, where he lost by over 34,000 votes to BJP's Mahesh Tenginkai. The 67-year-old Lingayat strongman is a six-time MLA and served as the Karnataka CM for 10 months between 2012 and 2013. He also served as Speaker of the Karnataka Assembly when the BJP first won the elections in the state in 2008.
BJP desperately trying to get Shettar back: Shivakumar
Shatter's big decision came a day after Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said that the BJP is desperately trying to get Shettar back into its crib ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Shivakumar said the BJP and the Janata Dal (Secular) are suffering from a severe lack of leadership and self-confidence, which is why they have joined forces.
Humiliated by senior BJP leaders: Shettar said last year
At the time Shettar left the BJP, he stated that he had been humiliated by the party's senior officials and that his choice to leave was final. "How the BJP leaders treated me in the last few days is nothing but a humiliation. I was ill-treated by the party members which forced me to announce my resignation," Shettar said then.
