'Not acceptable': Ex-Karnataka CM Shettar tells BJP for asking him not to contest poll

Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has expressed his displeasure against the BJP's central leadership after the party asked him to make way for others in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly polls.

The senior BJP leader has told the central leadership that he would contest the election again, and requested them to give him an opportunity. He is a sitting MLA from Hubli-Dharwad Central.

Shettar informed the top brass that their decision was not acceptable to him and urged the party for its reconsideration. "I received a message from the seniors in the party that I am senior and a former chief minister. So, make way for others," the 67-year-old BJP leader told reporters.

Shettar, a former BJP state unit president and Assembly Speaker, said he has worked hard for 30 years to build the party in the north Karnataka region.

"If they had told me two to three months ago, then it would have been respectable for me. When the nomination is just two days away (to begin), I am definitely hurt," Shettar, a former Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, said.

"I have told them that I will contest the election. Whatever you have said is not acceptable to me. So, please reconsider your decision and give me an opportunity to contest the election again," he further said.

The former CM noted that he got elected to the Assembly six times and every time had won the seat with a margin of 25,000 votes or more.

"I questioned them why I should not contest the election. What are my minus points? In the survey, which they have done in all the constituencies, according to the information I got, a positive response has come - almost 70 per cent positive response and public opinion is there (in my favour)," Shettar claimed.

He added that the senior leaders also agreed that there was a positive response in the survey report.

"When there is a positive report, and there is no black spot on me, no corruption charges or allegations against me...," Shettar asserted.

Stating that he had been loyal to the party and worked with dedication, he wondered whether loyalty itself was a minus point for him and there was no respect for it.

"When he (call from central leadership) said so, I was deeply hurt. Jagadish Shettar, who worked for 30 years and built the party, has reached this condition, which was painful," he added.

He revealed that he was offered some other position and asked to discuss with the central leadership, Shettar said he should have been treated respectfully as he is a senior leader and former Chief Minister of the state.

The BJP top brass met over the weekend in Delhi to finalise tickets for the Karnataka polls. The saffron party is yet to release the first list of candidates.

Similarly, former Deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa was reportedly asked to make way for others in the upcoming poll. However, he agreed to the central leadership's demand and formally announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from electoral politics.

In his brief letter written in Kannada, the veteran legislator and former deputy chief minister, who has often been at the centre of controversies due to his statements and allegations levelled against him, said his decision was out of his own will.

Eshwarappa would turn 75 in June, the unofficial age bar in the BJP for leaders to contest polls and hold official positions. Though there have been occasional exceptions as well.

With inputs from PTI