Bengaluru: Ex- Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar re-joined the BJP Thursday, less than a year after he walked out of the party, claiming “ill treatment”, and joined the Congress. That switch also took place days before the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election, which Mr Shettar contested and lost to the BJP.
The six-time MLA’s return – signed off by Home Minister Amit Shah – took place at the party’s Delhi HQ in the presence of its Karnataka unit boss BY Vijayendra and ex-Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.
“I am rejoining with the belief Narendra Modiji has to become PM again,” Mr Shettar, who was widely seen as a staunch follower of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological mentor, said.
The 68-year-old Jagadish Shettar was overlooked as part of the anti-incumbency strategy of the BJP, which was then in power in the state. The strategy didn’t work – the Congress recorded a big win.
Jagadish Shettar is seen as an influential member of the powerful Lingayat community, which accounts for nearly 17 per cent of the population. This makes their support crucial for any party.
