Ex-minister Shetty, who jumped to Cong after ticket denial, returns to BJP

Bengaluru, Jul 3: Former BJP minister S.N. Krishnaiah Shetty, who was a co-accused along with former chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa in an alleged land scam during his stint as minister, rejoined the saffron party on Sunday after severing his four-year "not so fruitful" ties with the Congress in Kolar district.

Earlier, Krishnaiah Shetty left BJP after his party denied party ticket to contest in the elections. Later, Shetty joined Congress party in Karnataka. Speaking to media persons on Sunday, he said he won’t leave BJP and will work for it as a general party worker.

What is significant is that in a span of just two weeks, three leaders have quit the Congress-veteran leader and former MP A.H. Vishwanath, prominent Vishwakarma leader K.P. Nanjundi and now Mr Shetty.

A senior leader in the Congress asserted that there will be no damage to the party vote bank except in the case of Mr Vishwanath's exit.

"Be it the case of Mr Nanjundi or Mr Shetty, these leaders will not be able to bring their community votes to our kitty. Traditionally the Vishwakarma community and Arya Vaishya community are a core voter group of the BJP” the source said.

“Mr Shetty was never active in the Congress in Kolar after he joined the party. He was inducted on the insistence of Kolar Lok Sabha MP, K. H. Muniyappa. It helped Mr Muniyappa to a certain extent during the Lok Sabha polls. But after that, Mr Shetty remained absent from party programmes in the district. Although physically he was with the Congress, he remained a BJP worker at heart. Even during the Gram Panchayat, Taluk Panchayat, Zilla Panchayat and other Urban Local Body elections, he fielded his candidate against the Congress and ensured his victory with the tacit support of local Congress leaders. Therefore, he was never a prize catch for the party. As for Mr Nanjundi, he has emerged as a leader of his community but has never been able convert his goodwill into votes in our favour. The Brahmin, Vishwakarma and Arya Vaishya communities vote en masse for the BJP, not Congress," the source explained.