Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar joins Congress; know his political journey, family background and other details

Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly election, senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar joined Congress in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, KPCC president DK Shivakumar and Congress leaders Randeep Surjewala, Siddaramaiah at the party office in Bengaluru.

Shettar on Sunday had resigned as the Hubli-Dharwad (Central) MLA after the BJP denied him the ticket to contest the Assembly polls.

After resigning from the post of MLA, Shettar took to Twitter and said, "Fed up with the political events of the past few days, I have resigned from my MLA seat and will discuss my next move with the activists. As usual, I believe that your love and blessings will always be with me."

Jagadish Shettar political journey

Jagadish Shettar is an Indian politician who served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2012 to 2013. He is a six-time Hubballi-Dharwad Central MLA and was elected to the state Assembly for the first time in 1994.

Shettar, a veteran BJP leader whose family has been associated with the party since Jana Sangh days, is an influential leader from its bastion of Kittur Karnataka region. While in the BJP, he had served as a Minister, Speaker, Leader of the Opposition and the chief minister.

The 67-year-old was reportedly asked by the BJP top brass to make way for others, but he on his part had asserted he wanted to contest one last time.

After joining the Congress, Shettar alleged that he had been humiliated by the BJP by denying him a ticket and that party is today in the control of "very few people." "I was forcefully thrown out of the party that I built...I'm joining the Congress by accepting its ideology and principles," he said, according to a report by news agency PTI.

Jagadish Shettar education, family details

Jagadish Shettar is a law graduate with over 20 years of experience as an advocate. His uncle, Sadashiva Shettar was Member of Assembly from Hubli Constituency representing Jana Sangh party in the year 1967.

His father SS Shettar was elected as member to Hubli-Dharwad City Corporation for five times. He has also served as Mayor once.

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