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ShareJagadish Shettar, BJP's powerful leader of North Karnataka and former speaker of the Legislative Assembly, is back in active politics. On Tuesday, Shettar took over as the minister for rural development and panchayat raj.
Shettar's name was initially pitched in to replace chief minister BS Yeddyurappa during the conflict in the state BJP government. But the party high command declined a change in leadership in the state. As per the compromise formula chalked out by the high command, Shettar quit as the speaker on Monday and was sworn in as a minister on Tuesday.
After feeling stifled from not being able to indulge in active politics as speaker, a relieved Shettar spoke to Srikanth Hunasavadi of his future plans. Excerpts:
You have been made a minister. Do you give the Reddy brothers the credit for it?
No, certainly not. I have become a minister on my own accord. It was the wish of the people of North Karnataka and some MLAs. When the BJP government was being formed, I was hoping for a ministerial berth by virtue of my service to the party. But the high command suggested that I take up the speaker's post, which I did. Now, they have insisted that I get back to active politics, and it was something I was looking forward to as well.
The opposition alleged that you were politicising the speaker's office.
It's not true. I discharged my duties under the constitutional parameters. In the last one-and-a-half years as speaker, I never directly involved myself in the party functions. The Opposition's allegations are baseless.
Have the dissident activities tarnished the party's image?
As a senior party leader, I do feel that the recent developments in the BJP have tarnished the party's image to an extent. It is high time that the party leaders sit together and introspect to rectify mistakes.
Everything seems to have settled down in the government now. But do you feel the government may face similar threats in future?
The crisis in the state BJP government has been resolved, and everyone is working together. I do not wish to comment on the past incidents. This is a new chapter for the BJP and in future there will not be any threat to the state government.
Now that you are entering active politics after one-and-a-half years, how do you plan to place your priorities?
I am extremely happy. I was constrained as a speaker. But now, I am free to address the people and their problems freely. Being a representative of North Karnataka, my first priority would be to develop that part of the state. But as a minister, my priority would be the overall development of Karnataka.
