Mangalore, July 12: Miffed at no representation to the Bunt community in the Cabinet of Jagadish Shettar, BJP leader B. Nagaraj Shetty has tendered his resignation to the post of Chairman of the Coastal Development Authority (CDA) and as member of the party.
He had sent his resignation letter to president of the Dakshina Kannada unit of the BJP Padmanabha Kottari with a request to forward it to the Chief Minister. “I don't want to continue as a BJP man,” he said.
Mr. Shetty, a former Minister, said that he was shocked at the developments in the party where “the fight between Lingayats and Gowdas” was being telecast on the television.
He said that the caste divide was now being brought to the coastal districts as well. Till 11 a.m. on Thursday (an hour before swearing in ceremony), a Bunt leader was asked to be ready to become a Minister, he said referring to MLC Halady Srinivas Shetty from Kundapur.
At 11.15 a.m., a Billava was asked to become a Minister, he added apparently referring to MLC Kota Srinivas Poojary, who was sworn in.
He said that he had sent his resignation letter with “my person” to Mr. Kottari but was not sure whether it had reached the latter.
On why he did not send it to the Chief Minister directly, Mr. Shetty said: “We follow a different tradition in the coastal area.”
He had sent it to his “immediate boss”, he said.
Mr. Shetty lost the 2008 election to B. Ramanatha Rai of the Congress in Bantwal constituency.
Subsequently, he became Chairman of the Coastal Development Authority.
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