Karnataka Elections 2023: BJP leader and Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday expressed that he's not happy with the party's decision of not giving him the ticket to contest in the upcoming assembly elections in the state.
"My popularity is good even in the survey. I've not lost a single election. There is no reason to deny my ticket, so I have requested the party high command to give me an opportunity to contest," Jagadish Shettar said.
Jagdish Shettar said that he's been associated with the party for over 30 years, had been a chief minister, if the party didn't want to give him the ticket then they should have informed him earlier.
"I want to contest the election, if they didn't want to give me the ticket, then he should have been informed earlier," he said.
"I have been loyal to BJP and working for the party, I feel that now my loyalty is being denied... there is no respect left for those who have been loyal... I felt bad when they told me today... a person who gave his 30 years to the party, worked for the party... feel bad that such a situation has arisen. Other parties also approached me. I had been the chief minister... they should have called me 2-3 months ago and told me that I am a senior and we will give the opportunity to someone else... but informing me just two days before filing the nomination that I will not contest election has hurt me a lot... I have told them that I want to contest and they should reconsider their decision," Jagadish Shettar said.
Meanwhile, BJP's first list of candidates, covering a large number of constituencies will be released either by tonight or tomorrow, once Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders give final approval to it, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday.
BJP's leadership and ideals are different from other parties and it is ready to take difficult decisions to create a new tradition in politics with commitment, the Chief Minister said, as he tried to defend senior legislators retiring from electoral politics or the party asking some of them to make way for others.
Senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister K S Eshwarappa today told the party's central leadership that he wishes to retire from electoral politics and requested it to not consider fielding him in the Assembly polls, while former chief minister Jagadish Shettar said the party top brass told him to make way for others, but asserted he wants to contest one last time.
"After several rounds of discussions, everything has been finalised. After the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) comes back to Delhi, after discussing with him, the list will be released. The list will be released in two stages, the first list will have a big number (candidates)," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters in Delhi, he said the first list will be announced any time, at the earliest.
"We have done our job, the leadership will hold a round of discussion and announce... maybe today or tomorrow."
Party leaders have been holding a series of meetings in Delhi for the last two days to finalise the list.
State BJP strongman and former chief minister BS Yediyurappa has already indicated that the first list may contain the names of 170 to 180 candidates.
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