Rival parties looking to bag saffron party’s disgruntled MLAs.
Even as the change of guard in the state government has left many a BJP MLA disgruntled, Congress, JD(S) and BSR Congress are trying to lure legislators into their party. At least two BJP leaders—Haladi Srinivasa Shetty (Kundapur MLA) and B Nagaraja Shetty (former MLA Buntwal)—are now “available” for other parties.
Haladi Shetty is pained over not being inducted into the Jagadish Shettar ministry, while Nagaraja Shetty is pained over the caste politics that the BJP is playing. Nagaraja Shetty has given up his position as chairman of the Karnataka Coastal Development Corporation, and also resigned from the primary membership of the party.
This volatile situation in the coastal areas has opened the field for the parties like BSR Congress, JD(S) and Congress. B Sriramulu was quick to send feelers to both the Shettys while the Congress and JD(S) have cast their nets for Haladi. The resignation of Nagaraja Shetty is yet to be accepted, while Haladi has stated that he is determined to resign as an MLA on Monday. He may even resign from the primary membership of the party, his close supporters said.
The JD(S) is likely to pocket both of them. Buntwal, which is a stronghold of the coastal Vokkaliga community, already has a Bunt leader in B Ramanatha Rai as MLA. The BJP has tottered there after the 2008 elections, while BSR Congress had not even set foot there. “So, my obvious choice will be BSR Congress, but I have yet not decided if I would re-enter politics at all,” Nagaraja Shetty said.
In Kundapur, whichever party gets Haladi Shetty will also get at least five zilla panchayat members from the taluk, more than 20 taluk panchayat members, 50 gram panchayat members and 15 town municipal council members. This is a number that no party would like to lose on.
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