Jagdish Shettar’s Defection To Congress Irks Modi-Shah

If Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a tough line against former BJP leader Jagdish Shettar during his visit to Hubballi it is not without reason. Shah’s assertion that “Shettar will lose the election as Hubbali has always voted for the BJP” was made to reflect not just the mood in the Karnataka BJP unit after Shettar crossed over to the Congress. It also shared the anguish of PM Narendra Modi over Shettar’s action. BJP top brass is reportedly furious that Shettar who was given “so much” by the party should join Congress. Shah primarily reflected the BJP’s determination to ensure that Shettar “loses the election”. Shettar is contesting on a Congress ticket from Hubballi-Dharwad-Central, a seat he has won multiple times on a BJP ticket. “There’ll be no loss, Jagdish Shettar will himself lose the election, Huballii has always voted for BJP and all workers of BJP are united,” Shah said at a press conference. Of course, Congress sources are  surprised that  Modi-Shah should make a fuss about a high profile turncoat, considering the BJP itself has renominated 16 defectors from the Congress who had propped up its government in the last few years.