New Delhi:

Ex- Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar re-joined the BJP Thursday, lower than a 12 months after he walked out of the get together, claiming “unwell remedy”, and joined the Congress. That swap additionally happened days earlier than the 2023 Karnataka Meeting election, which Mr Shettar contested and misplaced to the BJP.

The six-time MLA’s return – signed off by House Minister Amit Shah – happened on the get together’s Delhi HQ within the presence of its Karnataka unit boss BY Vijayendra and ex-Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa.

“I’m rejoining with the idea Narendra Modiji has to change into PM once more,” Mr Shettar, who was broadly seen as a staunch follower of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP’s ideological mentor, mentioned.

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Visuals confirmed a beaming Mr Shettar assembly BJP boss JP Nadda after his ‘homecoming’; Mr Nadda draped a celebration scarf round his neck and, greedy his hand firmly, posed for images, after which the 2, accompanied by Mr Yediyurappa and his son, sat down for a gathering.

Earlier in the present day Mr Shettar claimed “some points” led to his quitting the BJP and becoming a member of the Congress, and mentioned, “Within the final eight or 9 months there have been a number of discussions. BJP staff requested me to return again…Yediyurappaji and Vijayendraji additionally needed me to return again… so I’m rejoining.”

Jagadish Shettar joined the Congress after he was denied a ticket to battle in final 12 months’s Karnataka election. After his swap Mr Yediyurappa mentioned Mr Shettar “made a mistake”. “We promised him Rajya Sabha membership and (mentioned) we’d make him Union Minister. Amit Shah himself spoke to him. I feel he made a mistake leaving… we wholeheartedly supported him virtually each time,” he instructed NDTV.

The 68-year-old Jagadish Shettar was ignored as a part of the anti-incumbency technique of the BJP, which was then in energy within the state. The technique did not work – the Congress recorded a giant win.

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Mr Shettar, although, was not among the many winners on the day. He was fielded from the Hubli-Dharwad (Central) seat however was defeated by the BJP’s Mahesh Tenginakai, who received by over 34,000 votes.

The seat was one Mr Shettar claimed in three successive Meeting elections between 2008 and 2018.

He blamed his loss on “cash energy and strain ways” and accused his BJP rival of “distributing Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 (notes)” to voters. “Within the final six elections I’ve in no way used cash energy… by no means distributed cash to voters. (That is the) first time a BJP candidate distributed Rs 500-Rs 1000…”

READ | Prime BJP Defector Jagadish Shettar’s Accusation After Karnataka Outcomes

On Wednesday, as rumours swirled of Mr Shettar’s return to the BJP, the Congress’ DK Shivakumar accused the saffron get together of “desperation”. “Many BJP leaders are desperately making an attempt for the return of Shettar who’s with the Congress now. It is a tell-tale signal of weak spot…” he mentioned at a Mysuru occasion.

“They do not have candidates for the upcoming common elections,” Mr Shivakumar continued.

Jagadish Shettar is seen as an influential member of the highly effective Lingayat neighborhood, which accounts for almost 17 per cent of the inhabitants. This makes their assist essential for any get together.

READ | Why A Chunk Of Lingayats, Conventional BJP Supporters, Voted For Congress

The Congress swept a bit of those votes final 12 months en path to defeating the BJP, and the latter get together can be conscious it must win again the neighborhood if it hopes to do properly within the Lok Sabha election.

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