Shettar was promised a higher post: Basavaraja Bommai; Karnataka people won't forgive him: Yediyurappa

Basavaraja Bommai and Nalina Kumar Kateel said several efforts were made to pacify Jagdish Shettar and was offered a new role in New Delhi.

Hubballi: Karnataka chief minister Basavaraja Bommai on Sunday said that former CM Jagdish Shettar's resignation will impact the party in Hubbali-Dharwad region and a strategy will be prepared for overcoming it. Terming Shettar's decision to quit the party as unfortunate, Bommai said several efforts were made to pacify him. Shettar was promised a higher post with bigger responsibilities but he resigned, Bommai said.

Speaking at his residence in the city today, he said that efforts are being taken to bring a change under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Former CM and BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa is an ideal for us. Senior party leader KS Eshwarappa announced his retirement from electoral politics five days back. Party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised Shettar to give him a new role in New Delhi. Even yesterday I discussed with him and tried to convince him. His resignation is unfortunate,", Bommai said. The BJP has given a maximum number of seats to Lingayat community and the party is trying to bring all the communities together, he added.

Criticising Shettar for quitting BJP, former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa said the party made him CM and the state BJP president. "His statements have made us unhappy. He was known only because of BJP. People of Karnataka will not forgive Shettar," said Yediyurappa. The former CM further said that Shettar was offered a ministerial post in the Cabinet by Dharmendra Pradhan and a ticket was offered to his family but Shettar didn't respond, he added.

Speaking at the state BJP office in Malleswar in Bengaluru, state president Nalina Kumar Kateel said there was no conspiracy in the party against Shettar. Despite all efforts to retain him in the party, he announced his decision to leave, he said adding: "Jagdish Shettar is a senior party leader. All efforts were made to retain him in the party. The high command leaders too negotiated with him while discussions were held with the leaders of the state. We thought he would listen to us".

"It is natural to get upset when you don't get a ticket. However, all the seniors had talked with him on this issue. There were several levels of negotiations with him. The party had given him due respect and responsibility. I am confident that the BJP will not suffer any setback due to this," Kateel said.