Former chief minister and senior BJP MLA Jagadish Shettar resigned from his membership of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Sunday, upset at the party over delay in renominating him for the upcoming polls.
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He also told mediapersons that he would contest the Assembly elections for sure. “I have not decided whether to join a party or fight as an Independent,” he said.
He met Vishveshwar Hegde Kageri at his residence in Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district and submitted his resignation. Mr. Shettar told journalists in Sirsi that he would leave for Bengaluru to resign from the BJP. “I have decided to quit the BJP. There is no looking back. I will not reconsider my decision,” he said.
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To decide on future course of action
“I am resigning from the membership of the assembly and the primary membership of the party. I will consult my followers and well wishers to decide on the future course of action,’‘ he said in Hubballi later, vexed over delay in being issues a party ticket.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior leaders like Amit Shah do not know what is happening on the ground. It seems as if some local leaders do not want the BJP to come back to power. They are misleading the national leaders,’‘ Mr. Shettar said.
On Friday and Saturday, the BJP high command had rushed emissaries like Dharmendra Pradhan, CM Basavaraj Bommai and Pralhad Joshi to Mr. Shettar’s house to placate him. However, their attempts to convince him to retire from the poll fray to make way for others did not succeed.