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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing a crisis as its several leaders have resigned from the party just ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections in the state. On Monday, former chief minister and a six-time member of the legislative assembly (MLA) Jagadish Shettar joined the Congress. Shettar resigned from the BJP on Sunday.
Shettar had alleged that several BJP leaders in the state were mishandling the party. After the resignation, Karnataka's chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said that BJP national chief J P Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised a "big post" to Shettar.
"Jagadish Shettar has been a senior and an important leader in this region. J P Nadda and the Union Home Minister had promised a big post in Delhi to Shettar. Everything would have been fine if the former CM had continued," Basavaraj Bommai said.
After joining the Congress, Shettar said that he was humiliated in BJP and he will strengthen the Congress.
"After former CM Yediyurappa, I am the most senior in the party. Yediyurappa has retired from electoral politics. In the party system, I was the senior and in terms of community leadership also I came next. The conspiracy was hatched systematically as if I become MLA again, I will compete for the highest post and subsequently I was thrown out," he said.
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"My family has been associated with Jan Sangh since 1947. My uncle was the first person to get elected as MLA from south India. I was actively involved in ABVP. No one understood the pain. For six months I was humiliated. The state in-charges asked me at the last minute to send a letter agreeing to retire from electoral politics. There was no other way," he added.
The Karnataka Assembly elections are scheduled to take place on May 10 to elect all 224 members of the Assembly. The results will be declared on May 13.
The BJP has announced the names of 212 candidates so far. Since the announcements, several leaders have resigned from the party after being denied tickets.
These leaders in Karnataka have resigned from BJP recently:
Jagadish Shettar: Shettar resigned from the state assembly after being denied a ticket by BJP to contest the upcoming Assembly election. He was reportedly hoping to run for the Hubballi-Dharwad central constituency but was turned down by the party.
He joined Congress on Monday.
Laxman Savadi: A former deputy chief minister, Savadi resigned from the party earlier this month. He was hoping to contest from the Athani constituency ticket. Savadi is a loyalist of former CM B S Yediyurappa and one of the most powerful Lingayat leaders in the state, known for his organizational skills.
He resigned as the MLC and also quit the party.
"I have made my decision. I am not the one who goes around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not acting under the influence of anyone," said the former deputy chief minister, as reported by ANI.
Sogadu Shivanna: Following Savadi's exit, several other BJP leaders resigned from the party. Shivanna has been an MLA four times from the Tumkur constituency. He was dropped from the list in 2018 as well as this year.
Doddappagouda Patil Naribol: Naribol announced his exit after losing out on a ticket from the Jewargi constituency. He is expected to join JD(S).
S Angara: Angara is a six-time MLA from the Sullia constituency in Dakshina Kannada district. He has also been Karnataka's Minister for Fisheries.
R Shankar: BJP MLC Shankar resigned from the legislative council a day after BJP announced the list of candidates on April 12. Shankar was one of the 17 opposition MLAs who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in 2019.
MP Kumaraswamy: BJP MLA from Mudigere, Kumaraswamy announced his resignation from BJP and blamed national general secretary CT Ravi for not getting nominated.
