In leaving the Congress to re-join the BJP, Jagadish Shettar has revealed political opportunism. He has betrayed the ideals that the Congress stands for, the former MLC and Lingayat leader Mohan Limbikai said in Hubballi on Sunday.
“With his frequent shifts between parties, Mr. Shettar has become the Nitish Kumar of Hubballi. Mr. Shettar has no values in politics. All his moves are based on fulfilling selfish ends and to gain political advantage,’‘ Mr. Limbikai said.
He said that Mr. Shettar’s recent move is mysterious as there is no clarity about what motivated him to leave the Congress and go back home [the BJP].
“Anyway, it will send a very wrong message to the youth. It is an act of injustice to the Veerashaiva Lingayat community. The community is not with him in this. He has lost the faith of the community,” he said.
“When he quit the BJP to join the Congress, he was highly critical of the party and its leaders he had left behind. His angry tirades continued till last week. The Congress treated him with great respect. He was made an MLC even though he lost the Assembly polls. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wanted to nominate him as the Congress candidate for the Dharwad Lok Sabha seat. But he left without any reason,” Mr. Limbikai said.
He urged the Congress high command to give ticket to Lingayat candidates for the Lok Sabha seat from Dharwad and the Council seat vacated by Mr. Shettar.
Mr. Limbikai said that Congress MLA Shamanuru Shivashankarappa supported the candidature of B.Y. Raghavendra from the Shivamogga Lok Sabha seat “by mistake”.
“Mr. Shivashankarappa is old and is losing memory. It must have been a slip of his tongue that he sought votes for Mr. Raghavendra,” Mr. Limbikai said.