Bengaluru, Apr 4 (IANS): The opposition Congress in Karnataka on Tuesday criticised the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the state after five-time party legislator Halady Srinivas Shetty from Kundapur constituency in Udupi district announced his retirement from electoral politics.

Taking to social media, the Congress said "The leader of Bunt community, MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty has announced political retirement after being humiliated by the BJP".

"Even as Halady was inducted into the Cabinet, he was not offered any high post in the party. Now, with a painful message, he has announced his retirement from politics. The development has shown that the BJP is not a party for the good people," the Congress said in a social media post.

The Congress claimed that "the only reason for the retirement of Halady Srinivas Shetty, who was not a typical BJP person, is harassment".

He was elected five consecutive times, and was a powerful leader from the Bunt community.

"This is not an insult to Srinivas Shetty, it is an insult to the Bunt community," the Congress said.

Srinivas Shetty had announced that he would not contest in the upcoming assembly elections on April 3.

He was elected as an MLA four times on a BJP ticket, and won the elections once as an independent candidate.

Shetty's retirement announcement is being seen as a setback to the ruling BJP ahead of the May 10 Karnataka assembly polls.