Srinivas Shetty quits Assembly

However, the BJP is labouring to retain him in its fold

In a setback to the Bharatiya Janata Party in its coastal stronghold, Halady Srinivas Shetty, Kundapur MLA, has resigned from the Legislative Assembly revealing his angst at not getting a ministerial berth.

The resignation has been accepted by Speaker K.G. Bopaiah.

Mr. Shetty, who came to the Vidhana Soudha from his constituency on Tuesday, went to the chamber of Mr. Bopaiah and submitted his resignation letter.

The Speaker accepted his resignation after Mr. Shetty remained firm on his decision to quit though he was advised not to take a hasty decision.

Regrets treatment

Reiterating his displeasure over the manner in which he was treated by the party, Mr. Shetty said that he had decided to resign on his own.

He said ill-treating him would be tantamount to insulting the people of his constituency.

Mr. Shetty, who had been confident of being made a Minister, came to Bangalore on the day of the swearing-in ceremony.

But the party gave the berth to a fellow legislator from the district, Kota Srinivas Poojary, who had come to Bangalore to witness Mr. Shetty’s swearing in.

BJP still hopeful

Concerned over retaining Mr. Shetty, who is a popular face of the party in the coastal region, the BJP is making all efforts to retain him, particularly in the wake of the Janata Dal (Secular) inviting him to its fold.

“We are hopeful of somehow retaining him in the party though he is very upset over not getting a ministerial berth,” sources in the BJP said.

“Our hopes of retaining him in the party come from several factors, including assurances from veteran party workers and leaders in the coastal region that they will convince him to stay with the party,” sources said.

Coastal votes

If he quits the BJP, it would affect the party’s prospects in not just his home district, Udupi, but also in Dakshina Kannada, sources said. But he is a hardcore party supporter and it will be difficult for such people to identify themselves with other parties, they said while maintaining that a substantial portion of his followers too were staunch party supporters.

Shetty’s importance

The party is particular about holding on to Mr. Shetty as it has already lost its veteran leader from the coast, V.S. Acharya, who passed away recently. There is also dissatisfaction among a section of party workers that the former Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda, who hails from the coastal region, was replaced despite providing a scam-free administration.