Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar Joins Congress

Ahead of Karnataka Assembly elections, former state chief minister Jagadish Shettar quit Bharatiya Janata Party and joined Congress party on Monday.

Shettar joined Congress in the presence of party Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Karnataka state Congress President DK Shivakymar and the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Siddaramaiah at the party office in Bengaluru.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Amar Singh Patil also joined Congress along with Shettar.

After joining the party, 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.”

“I was among those who organised and worked for the growth of the (BJP) party. Yes BJP gave me respect and position. I won as an MLA six times and I I thought I would be naturally fielded for the seventh time,” he said.

He stated his reasons of leaving the party saying, “I thought being a senior leader, I will get the ticket, but when I came to know that I am not getting it, I was shocked. No one spoke to me nor tried to convince me, not even gave assurance about what position will I get.”

“On April 11, the party in-charge said I had not been given a ticket. He spoke to me like speaking to a child. What should I do? I got a call in the morning and I was spoken to like I am a first time MLA or aspirant. I'm hurt. I was treated badly,” he further stated.

Former BJP CM,
Former BJP President,
Former Leader of Opposition,
Six times MLA,

Sh. Jagadish Shettar joins the Congress family today in the presence of CP @kharge ji, Gen. Sec (Org) @kcvenugopalmp ji, PCC President @DKShivakumar ji & Congress in-charge, Karnataka @rssurjewala… pic.twitter.com/gY4wysOgzx

— Congress (@INCIndia) April 17, 2023

It may be noted that the former Karnataka chief minister resigned from MLA seat and quit BJP on Sunday ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections.

In this regard, he took to twitter and wrote, “Fed up with the political events of the past few days, I have resigned from my MLA seat and will discuss my next move with the activists. As usual, I believe that your love and blessings will always be with me.”

ಕಳೆದ ಕೆಲ ದಿನಗಳ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ವಿದ್ಯಮಾನಗಳಿಂದ ಬೇಸರಗೊಂಡು ನನ್ನ ಶಾಸಕ ಸ್ಥಾನಕ್ಕೆ ರಾಜಿನಾಮೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದು, ನನ್ನ ಮುಂದಿನ ನಡೆಯ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕಾರ್ಯಕರ್ತರೊಂದಿಗೆ ಚರ್ಚಿಸುತ್ತೇನೆ.

ಎಂದಿನಂತೆ ನಿಮ್ಮೆಲ್ಲರ ಪ್ರೀತಿ, ಆಶೀರ್ವಾದ ನನ್ನ ಜೊತೆ ಸದಾ ಇರುವುದೆಂಬ ನಂಬಿಕೆಯಿದೆ. pic.twitter.com/ItcEc3khp9

— Jagadish Shettar (@JagadishShettar) April 16, 2023

The Karnataka assembly election is scheduled to be held on May 10 and the results will be out on May 13.

Also Read: EC Sets May 10 for Karnataka Assembly Polls