Jagadish Shettar has roots in Jan Sangh

Hubli, Karnataka, June 5: Popularly known as 'Ajaat Shatru' in northern parts of Karnataka, Mr Jagadish Shettar hails from a family that gave the first Jana Sangh legislator to the Legislative Assembly.

Mr Shettar is the son of S S Shettar who had been elected five times to the Hubli Municipality. He also became the first Jana Sangh Mayor of the Municipality. His uncle Sadashiv Shettar was the first Jan Sangh leader in the South to get elected to the Assembly from Hubli City in 1967. The ever-smiling Shettar began his career with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and participated actively in all its activities before becoming an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. In 1990, he became the president of Hubli Rural Unit of the BJP and in 1994, the Dharwad District Unit President.

In 1996, he became the BJP State Secretary and in 1999, the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly. He successfully held the position for five years.

Mr Shettar went on to climb the party ladder and emerged as the State President of the party in 2005. He went on to become the Revenue Minister in the JD(S)-BJP Coalition government headed by Mr H D Kumaraswamy in 2006.

Born at Kerur Village of Badami Taluk in Bagalkot District on December 17, 1955, Mr Shettar had been a noted lawyer at the Hubli Bar for over 20 years.

He had actively participated in pro-people and pro-farmer agitations and fought for the development of North Karnataka, especially the Bombay-Karnatak Region.

His never-say-die spirit resulted in establishment of South-Western Railway Zone at Hubli.

Interested in reading and literature, Mr Shettar had also worked as journalist for a few years, besides participating in debates and enacting solo roles in plays.

His wife is Shilpa Shettar. The couple is blessed with two sons Prashant and Sankalpa.

UNI