Hubballi, May 30 (IANS): Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who switched over from the BJP to the Congress and contributed to its thumping victory in the recent Assembly election, on Tuesday said that he is not depressed with his defeat.

"Everyone said, I will go into depression. Now, they are realizing that I am the one who sent them into depression," he said.

Contesting from the Hubballi-Dharwad Central Assembly seat as a Congress candidate, he was defeated by BJP's Mahesh Tenginakayi, who was once his right-hand man. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and former CM B.S. Yediyurappa had made it a point to defeat him on his home turf.

Shettar pointed out that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda got defeated but his importance in state politics is intact. Siddaramaiah faced defeat and went on to become the CM and Yediyurappa went on to become CM four times after facing defeat.

"I might have been defeated, but, wherever I went for campaigning in Karnataka, Congress has won seats. The Congress is strong at the grassroots level. The party will win all district and taluk panchayats if elections are held. BJP had won 25 seats in the last parliamentary elections. This is going to be reversed in the upcoming elections," he stated.

"I did not distribute money to win elections. The BJP brought in money power and created a pressure situation. If three among five guarantee schemes are implemented, Congress will win most seats in Lok Sabha elections. I am ready to take up any responsibility given by the party," he added.