BELAGAVI: Former minister and senior BJP legislator Umesh Katti on Friday hurled expletives at his party leaders amid speculation that he and another former minister, Balachandra Jarkiholi, are likely to rejoin JD (S) ahead of next year’s elections to the Legislative Assembly.
For the record, however, Mr Katti told the media that he would not quit the BJP but was livid with party leaders for not allowing him to join the ongoing stir for separate religion tag for Lingayats, and for describing him as a Hindu. A visibly upset Mr Katti said he was against Hindutva politics pursued by BJP leaders.
“They call me a Hindu but I know that I am a Lingayat/Veerashaiva. I am keen to attend rallies of Lingayats, but these leaders are preventing me from doing so,” he added.
Sources close to the former minister said he would part ways with the BJP soon, and could return to JD (S) though Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s decision to dine at the legislator’s residence recently set off rumours that he would defect to the ruling Congress.
Besides Mr Katti, his buddies Balachandra Jarkiholi and Kagwad legislator Raju Kage are likely to join JD (S).
Sources said Mr Katti was miffed as BJP leaders not only stopped him from joining the pro-Lingayat agitation but also warned him that he would be denied a ticket to contest from his home constituency, Hukkeri. Leaders of JD (S), who learnt about his indignation, reportedly rolled out the red carpet for him as he had won several times from Hukkeri irrespective of the party he represented.
Sources said Mr Katti’s exit would certainly dent the prospects of BJP in north Karnataka as a large section of Lingayats in this region could vote against the party in their bid to support Mr Katti. His recent demand for a separate statehood for north Karnataka was supported by many leaders in the region, with heads of Lingayat Maths demonstrating their solidarity with him. He had stated that a movement for separate statehood would take shape if the state government continued to neglect the region and failed to implement recommendations of Dr Nanjundappa Commission.
Mr Katti’s family has been in the forefront of the cooperation movement in Belagavi region which not only helped him win seven consecutive elections to the Assembly but also ensured the victory of brother Ramesh Katti to Lok Sabha election from Chikkodi.
