Shettar lashes out at BJP, says caste was criteria for Union Cabinet berth

Hubbali (Karnataka), May 8 Karntaka's former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, who quit the BJP and joined Congress ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections, on Monday lashed out at the BJP national leadership, accusing it of a casteist mindset.

Addressing a press conference here, he noted that people of Karnataka elected 25 MPs for the BJP but only one Cabinet minister post was provided - and that the person who was given a cabinet minister berth was from a special caste (in a reference to Union Coal Minister Prahlad Joshi who is a Brahmin).

He said that the Minister of States Shobha Karandlaje was from Vokkaliga community, A. Narayanaswamy was a Dalit and Bhagwanth Khuba was a Lingayat. He also said that a section of the BJP was making matters worse for the party.

Asked whether he would join the BJP again just like B.S. Yedyurappa and B. Sriramalu, Shettar said that till his last breath, he would be with the Congress.

He also said that the Congress was inclusive of all people and that there was no hatred against anyone. He also came out against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and added that he had tried to join Congress sometime earlier.

Shettar, who is fighting a tough battle in the constituency which he has represented 6 times, said that he would win the polls with a good margin.

The senior leader also said that the Congress would form the government in Karnataka with an absolute majority.