The exit of former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has certainly rattled the BJP camp and national president J.P. Nadda, who arrived in Hubballi on Tuesday, made it a point to draw home the point that it is crucial for the party to nullify the Shettar impact in its stronghold.
The BJP high command was reportedly handed out a shocker by Mr. Shettar by refusing to yield to the pressure and quit the poll battle. And now with Mr. Shettar lambasting the party’s national general secretary B.L. Santosh and questioning the rationale behind the party high command entrusting Mr. Santosh with the Karnataka polls, the onus is now on the State leaders to disprove Mr. Shettar.
Consequently, the State BJP is going to make all-out efforts to defeat Mr. Shettar, as was evident in the speeches made by BJP leaders including Mr. Nadda in Hubballi on Tuesday.
Mr. Shettar has represented Hubballi-Dharwad Central (earlier Hubballi Rural) for six times in a row and his winning margin increased in every election.
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While Mr. Nadda’s visit to Hubballi was prescheduled as he was supposed to accompany Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai during his filing of nomination papers in Shiggaon, Mr. Nadda made it a point to send out a strong message to the party cadre through his actions and words.
Mr. Nadda chose to visit Moorusavir Mutt after Siddaroodh Mutt in Hubballi on Wednesday before proceeding to Shiggaon to take part in Mr. Bommai’s nomination procession and public event. Mr. Nadda’s visit to Moorusavir Mutt is of significance as it was the seer Gurusiddha Rajayogindra Swami who had expressed dismay over a senior leader like Mr. Shettar being denied ticket.
Mr. Nadda did have a closed door meeting with the seer for few minutes during his visit to the mutt on Tuesday. However he declined to answer any questions on Mr. Shettar and the central constituency.
Mr. Nadda was accompanied by BJP leaders including MLA Arvind Bellad, chairman of BJP disciplinary committee Lingaraj Patil, and others.
While the Moorusavir Mutt seer openly expressed dismay over the ‘ill treatment of Mr. Shettar, soon after joining the Congress, Mr. Shettar had met Veerasomeshwara Shivacharya Swami of Rambhapuri Peetha, who has considerable influence in the region.
