Daijiworld Media Network – Hubballi (SS)

Hubballi, Apr 15: Former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar said on Saturday, April 15, that denying him a ticket to fight the Assembly election from Hubballi-Dharwad Central constituency would have a bearing on at least 20 to 25 seats in the state.

The senior BJP leader told reporters that he would wait for the party’s decision on the ticket till Sunday to decide his next course of action. Shettar was asked by the party high command to drop his candidature for the Assembly elections.

In a rebellious tone, Shettar said the ruling dispensation has to think about the impact that the party may have to face for treating senior functionaries like him in such a manner.

The BJP is yet to release the list of candidates for 12 constituencies, including Hubballi-Dharwad Central.

"The party has to ensure that it should not have any negative impact. Even former CM B S Yediyurappa has said that if Shettar does not get a ticket, then it will have a bearing not in just one place...it will have an immediate effect in many constituencies in north Karnataka -- at least 20 to 25 constituencies," Shettar said.

"It will indeed have an effect across Karnataka, but the immediate impact will be seen in 20 to 25 constituencies," the senior party leader said.

Meanwhile, Shettar said he was grateful to some of the Hubballi-Dharwad municipal councillors for offering to submit their resignation and for showing their affection towards him.

"They (councillors) have expressed their displeasure. They are hurt. For them, it's enough now. Their feelings are hurt so they are expressing their anger by resigning from the municipal corporation," the former Karnataka Assembly speaker said.

Shettar said he will take note of the councillors' opinions and then decide on the next step.

To a query that some top BJP functionaries were confident of Shettar getting the ticket, he said he was aware of such statements, but he wanted "the result".

Shettar had earlier said he had received a call from Delhi where a senior party functionary asked him to drop his candidature to make way for young people.

He said this was not acceptable to him and expressed his resolve to contest the election this time, come what may.