It took a couple of calls from senior BJP leader BS Yediyurappa and state BJP chief BY Vijayendra, along with the promise of a Lok Sabha ticket, and the persistent feeling of being a ‘fish out of water’ in the Congress, for Jagdish Shettar to be persuaded to return to the saffron fold.
In a significant setback for the Congress, former chief minister Shettar, who left the BJP in frustration after being denied a ticket in the 2023 Assembly elections, is now back in the party that he describes as having “given me a lot of responsibilities in the past and also the opportunity to be the CM of Karnataka”.
Was Shettar sidelined in the Congress? Political analysts think so and concur with the fact that he certainly felt out of place in the ruling party, which had a completely different ideology and setup compared to the BJP, where the leader had spent four decades of his political career. He belongs to the Lingayat community, which forms close to 17 to 18% of Karnataka’s voting population and also has a significant say in the formation of governments in the state.
“It was a foregone conclusion that Shettar would not last long in the Congress. Born into a Jan Sangh family and given the fact that he has been anti-Congress, his blood is also anti-Congress. It was unnatural for him to be in that party,” explained political analyst SA Hemanth.
The analyst also adds that the leader lost his political credibility the day he left the BJP for the Congress.
“What did he achieve by going to the Congress? Except for the fact that he was made an MLC by the Congress, he was unable to defeat the BJP candidate from his own constituency, Mahesh Tenginakai, who stood against him. Tenginakai won with a thumping majority,” said Hemanth.
A Congress insider told News18 that in the past couple of months, there was an inkling that some Congress Lingayat leaders had sensed that the former CM was on his way back to the BJP. These leaders even advised the Karnataka Congress leaders to be wary of the development, especially while discussing the Congress strategy for Lok Sabha elections.
Boost to BJP for LS Polls
The political move is crucial, especially for both the Congress and the BJP, with the Lok Sabha polls around the corner.
Shettar is a senior Lingayat leader who hails from the North Karnataka region, which is also known to be one of the strongholds of the BJP. His exit to the Congress in April last year dealt a blow to the BJP, as Shettar called the denial of a ticker a “snub” to the Lingayat community by the party.
His return to the BJP has been described as a masterstroke by Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra, who, after assuming the role, has been involved in a massive effort to strengthen the party and bring back upset leaders from various communities back to the BJP fold. By persuading Shettar’s return, Vijayendra is also looking at solidifying his position and getting the BJP maximum seats in the general elections.
When a senior BJP leader was asked about how many more such ‘ghar wapsis‘ (homecomings) will be seen closer to the elections, the leader remarked that efforts are being made to convince many more such aggrieved leaders.
“They know that their heart and soul is in the BJP. They may have left for various reasons, but your love for your home will always remain wherever you are, right? That’s what the BJP is,” the leader, who did not wish to be identified, said.
Shettar’s return has also made two major impressions on the minds of those supporting the BJP, as well as the Lingayats. The first one being that BJP’s tallest Lingayat leader and former CM BS Yediyurappa continues to be the man in charge in the state party unit, while his son BY Vijayendra has also been making every effort to rope in leaders who will help the BJP win as many seats as possible in the Lok Sabha polls.
Shettar’s homecoming, however, will have many clauses, say BJP insiders.
What Shettar Said on Joining BJP
Shettar claims that he went to the Congress due to some issues that he faced with the party. “In the past nine months, there have been a lot of discussions and deliberations. My party workers who were upset with my decision to move to the Congress made me rethink. Yediyurappaji and Vijayendraji also wanted me to come back to the BJP. With the belief that Narendra Modi will be PM again and in the interest of the nation, I am rejoining the BJP,” said Shettar before he took the joining certificate.
What Shettar Wanted Before He Joined Congress
Jagdish Shettar, who was utterly disappointed, quit the BJP after he felt he was denied another opportunity to become CM when BSY stepped down in 2019. Basavaraj Bommai was chosen as BSY’s successor. Shettar at the time had warned the party that his resignation and future decisions would impact at least 20-25 seats in the state in the assembly elections. The BJP won just 66 seats out of the 224-strong Karnataka Assembly.
“I have not been involved in any scams or scandals. I have no corruption or criminal charges against me. I neither demanded any important post like that of a CM or a specific ministry. Then why was I denied a ticket?” he had earlier questioned the BJP.
Shettar, a six-time MLA from the Huballi-Dharwad central constituency, was among the few leaders whom the BJP had asked to stand down and not seek a ticket for the upcoming Assembly elections.
Shettar had made as many as five visits to Delhi to meet the BJP central leadership when rumours were rife that he was being denied an Assembly ticket. He had set a deadline until April 16, 2023, to see if the party high command would accept his demand for a ticket. When it was clear that the BJP was in no mood to field him from his North Karnataka seat, he resigned, and joined the Congress the next day.
Shettar’s Political Past
Known to have been a BSY loyalist, Shettar had succeeded Sadananda Gowda in 2012. Gowda, who was forced to resign after serving for 11 months, as Yediyurappa launched a rebellion and convinced the BJP leadership to opt for a change in leadership in Karnataka and install a fellow Lingayat in the saddle. Yediyurappa pointed out that the people knew of Shettar only because of the BJP and that the latter’s statements have made him very unhappy.
“The people of Karnataka will not forgive Jagadish Shettar. We had offered a ticket to a member in Shettar’s family, a ministerial position, but he did not accept any,” a visibly agitated Yediyurappa said in 2023.
What the Congress Said
Until a day ago, Shettar had discussed with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar about the BJP approaching him with the Lok Sabha polls in mind and assured the Karnataka Congress chief that he was in no mood to return to the BJP. Hours later, Shettar flew to Delhi to meet the BJP central leadership and announce his return to the BJP.
“I spoke to him, and he told me that the Congress gave my political career a second life, and Shettar said he will not go there. We trusted it. We treated him with respect as he is a senior leader. You all are witness to the double standards. Let him say whatever he wants to, we will react later,” said Shivakumar to the media.
Another Congress leader and Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad were critical of Shettar’s move and denied that Shettar was sidelined. He said that this development only showed the desperation of the BJP to keep itself relevant and try and win a losing battle.
“We gave him everything in the Congress. He did not have a corporator to back him, yet, seeing his seniority, we gave him an MLC post. He clearly is a man of opportunism, and his decision is condemnable,” Arshad told News18.
The Congress did not make Shettar a minister in the government, and he would not have accepted it as well after having served as the chief minister of the state. It would have been a step down for him, explained analyst Hemanth.
“It was a cul-de-sac for him. Shettar also realized that if under a Congress ticket he loses the Lok Sabha polls, his credibility would have been further shattered,” he added.
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