Senior BJP leader and former Chief Minister of Karnataka Jagdish Shettar said, “If I am denied a ticket, it will affect the entire Karnataka. The party will lose 20 to 25 assembly seats in the next elections.” The BJP high command was indirectly warned. However, he said that he is confident that the party high command will surely give him the ticket. Shettar said he will wait till Sunday evening and then decide on his future course of action.
The BJP has announced 212 candidates in two phases for the Karnataka assembly elections to be held on the 10th of next month. Apart from senior leaders and sitting MLAs, the party has given tickets to 50 newcomers. There is dissatisfaction among the state leaders of the party. While some have already resigned from the party, others are expressing dissatisfaction with the high command. Some leaders are still trying to get the party ticket as the candidates for 12 more seats have to be announced. The party’s senior leader and former chief minister of the state Jagdish Shettar was among the leaders who did not get a ticket.
As Shettar did not get a ticket, his supporters in Hubballi-Dharwad are expressing concern. 16 councilors of Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation are ready to resign from their posts. Union Minister Prahlad Joshi tried to appease Jagdish Shettar in this order.