‘Decision to quit BJP will always hurt me’

Jagadish Shettar, 75, is one of the most senior politicians in Karnataka from the dominant Lingayat community. Hailing from a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) background, the former chief minister now regrets his decision to switch to the Congress after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) denied him a ticket in the last assembly election. He described it as his darkest hour in politics, welcoming his defeat in the election as it led him back to the BJP fold. In an interview with HT, he shared insights into his brief exit from the saffron outfit and addressed allegations of snatching a seat from his relative, Belagavi MP Mangala Angadi, to remain in politics. Edited excerpts:

Mangala’s daughter Shradha is married to my son Sankalp. After family discussions, and with mainly Mangala’s family’s consent, I decided to contest in her place. Mangala, after being declared the candidate for a byeelection in her husband Suresh Angadi’s place, said that she was a homemaker and not interested in politics. Her contest was temporary, and she never intended to contest again, which is why I am contesting.

Of course, I regret my decision, which should not have been made. Sometimes, bold decisions are necessary to stay in power. My decision to quit the BJP will always hurt me, pinch me and reduce my confidence, and above all, it made me not speak about loyalty. My family, though supportive, wasn’t entirely convinced, and returning to the BJP after the loss was inevitable.

It is common in every field that aspirants get disappointed if the chance is missed. A meeting was held at former Rajya Sabha member Karnatak Lingayat Education Society chairman Prabhakar Kore’s residence, who opposed the candidacy of an outsider, not specifically mentioning my name.

Though from Hubballi, I have good contacts in Belagavi. I was the speaker of the assembly when the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha was dedicated.

All those who attended the meeting are my key campaigners, who have pledged to work for my victory.

The campaign was a tactic of the Congress. After knowing my background, the party has chosen me, deserving to win the prestigious Belagavi constituency.

The people of Belagavi are educated, well aware of the central government’s pro-people schemes, and will vote for me to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister for another term.

Actually, I only proposed and approved projects for Belagavi when I was the chief minister. However, stakeholders chose Hubballi-Dharwad because of easy connectivity to their businesses. I didn’t discriminate against any part of the state when I was the chief minister. My contribution was remarkable in establishing the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha. I was the first speaker of the Assembly in the first legislative session held here.

If elected, I’ll bring many projects to Belagavi that would employ thousands of people. I have a plan to make Belagavi an IT hub and a centre of vegetable export, as Belagavi grows the best export quality vegetables in the nation.

The main election revolves around the prime ministerial candidate. People vote for Narendra Modi and not Jagadish Shettar.

The caste and religion factors will not work in the election. The Lingayat pack, covering all the subcastes, continues supporting Modi in this election as well.