Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur (SP)

Updated

Kundapur, Feb 2: Popular leader Halady Srinivas Shetty, who was elected thrice consecutively as MLA representing this constituency, had distanced from the BJP feeling humiliated due to issues on formation of Jagadish Shettar ministry in the state. As a result, he fought as an independent candidate during the last Assembly election and got elected again with a thumping margin of over 40,000 votes. Of late, he has softened his stance and come closer to BJP again, and now, he has resigned as MLA under pressure from his fans and well-wishers to join the BJP.

Halady was welcomed into the party on Friday February 2 by state BJP president B S Yeddyurappa. Halady accepted the party's flag in the presence of BJP leaders Muralidhar Rao, Aravind Limbavali, R Ashok, Govind Karjol and Shobha Karandlaje. Halady's supporters too were taken into BJP's fold.

In an exclusive interview with daijiworld, Halady Srinivas Shetty said he was joining the BJP without any pre-conditions and clarified that he was not offered any plum post by the party.

1. You had earlier resisted BJP's attempts to convince you into joining the party. What made you change your mind?

Ans: The BJP had assured to give me ministerial berth but did not do so, so I was annoyed. On the suggestions of my supporters, I contested independently. I had supported the party indirectly in all elections like general, taluk, and gram panchayat polls, and that is why BJP won the local elections. On the suggestions of my supporters, I decided to join the BJP again.

Several BJP leaders including state BJP president Yeddyurappa and MP Shobha Karandlaje had urged me to return to the party. I had told them that I would not join the party till the technical issue is addressed. An MLA should not orphan his constituency for serving selfish interests. If I had joined BJP then, I would have been divested of Assembly membership and barred from participating in election for six years under Anti Defection Law. My constituency would have been deprived of development. Therefore, I resigned now, taking into account everything.

2. Won't your constituency be deprived of development with your resignation before the end of you term?

Ans: The next election has already drawn near and the Election Commission is expected to announce date of election by next month. Once the date of the election is announced, an MLA not even has the right to issue recommendation letter to someone. Therefore, I resigned a month in advance.

3. Congress members have held protests claiming you are abandoning your constituency.

Ans: Holding protest is left to them. I have nothing to say about their protest.

4. There are allegations that resigning from the Assembly ahead of budget session will stunt development of your constituency. What is your response?

Ans: Let me make this clear. The presentation of the budget is a responsibility vested with the state government. Legislators can come up with proposals to be included in the budget, but that period also has come to an end. We do not get invites for budget meetings. Moreover, do you think budgetary announcements would be implemented before the coming election?

5. Have you been promised of any plum post by the BJP?

Ans: I am not joining BJP with an eye on posts. I am joining as an ordinary worker. I am impressed and happy with development initiatives undertaken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Therefore, I am joining BJP without any preconditions.

6. Are you an aspirant for the upcoming Assembly election on BJP ticket?

Ans: I am joining the BJP as an ordinary worker. It is left to the discretion of party leaders to issue a ticket to me or not.

7. What do you think are BJP's chances in the upcoming elections, in both the Kundapur constituency as well as in the state?

Ans: It is left purely to the discretion of voters to choose the party. I have to wait and watch what voters have to say. People can compare the development works that have happened in the last five years, and those which happened during Yeddyurappa's tenure as the chief minister, and decide for themselves what they want to do.

8. There has been quite a lot of opposition within the BJP against your joining the party. How will you handle the discontent?

Ans: It is left to the party leadership to handle the issue. I do not have anything to say. The party leaders will take action about this issue. When V S Acharya was around, this culture was never evident. It has cropped up only recently.

9. What is your response to criticism against you on social media?

Ans: I am not going to comment on those circulating derisive posts about me in WhatsApp and Facebook pages. The writers of the posts appear to get some sort of satisfaction by these writings and I prefer not to raise objections. It is up to the party leaders to handle this issue.