'Gone to the party that expelled Veerendra Patil, Bangarappa and Devaraj': Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai's jibe at Jagadish Shettar joining Congress

Bommai said that Shettar joining the party will not affect the BJP's Lingayat vote share and till BS Yediyurappa is with the party, Lingayats will be with them.

Bengaluru: Senior BJP leader and Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday took a jibe at former CM and party leader Jagadish Shettar, who left the safron party to join the Congress ahead of the upcoming assembly election. Shettar, who has been the BJP CM, prominent Lingayat face and five time MLA, joined the Congress party on Monday in the presence of Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar after he was denied a ticket by the BJP for the assembly election.

While Congress has welcomed the veteran BJP leader for joining the party, CM Bommai brushed aside Shettar's exit from the party. CM Bommai said that Shettar joining the party will not affect the BJP's Lingayat vote share. “Till BS Yediyurappa is with us, Lingayats will be with us,” said the Karnataka CM. Taking further jibe at Shettar for joining the Congress, Bommai said, he had “gone to the party that expelled Veerendra Patil, Bangarappa and Devaraj Urs”.

The Karnataka CM said that the Congress will use him for the electoral gains and then abandon him. “The aim is to first honour and then insult after the election. Jagdish Shettar will be used and thrown out,” Bommai said. Shettar while joining the Congress on Monday said that the BJP had left him disappointed by denying him the ticket for the upcoming assembly election from Hubali seat.

The Congress has said that Shettar's entry into the party will boost the party's prospects in the upcoming assembly election and will ensure that the party crosses the 150 seat mark in the election. The Karnataka assembly election is scheduled on May 10 while as the counting will be held on May 13.