There's no proposal to remove me from Opposition leader's post: Jagadish Shettar
Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly, Jagadish Shettar is set to become more aggressive in the coming days against the Siddaramaiah government. Mr. Shettar claims to have exposed three major scams of the government and is getting ready to expose one more soon. He is busy collecting records pertaining to this scam. In an interview with Deccan Chronicle, Mr. Shettar said that in the coming days, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will expose more scams. He dismissed reports on his removal from the Opposition leader’s post saying there has been no such discussion in the party. Excerpts from an interview.
You have listed three years of failures of the Siddaramaiah government and have levelled corruption charges. How do you take forward your fight against the Congress government inside the Assembly in the coming days?
In the last three years, Bharatiya Janata Party has exposed many misdeeds including corruption of the Congress government. In a few cases, we succeeded in taking them to their logical end. Now, many new corruption cases have come to light. Recently I exposed a scam in the Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department with regard to the allotment of works to set up drinking water laboratories. Even Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H.K. Patil has admitted to the scam and has ordered a CID inquiry. I am collecting documents with regard to another corruption case against the government.
But the BJP has failed to take its fight to the logical end. Why?
Now that Mr B.S. Yeddyurappa has become president of the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, we will take all issues to the public under his leadership. We have done our job but the Congress government has become insensitive and thick-skinned and is not bothered about corruption charges. It was because of our determination that the government appointed a judicial commission to probe the Arkavathi redo scam.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah says he does not need to learn lessons from the ‘corrupt’ Bharatiya Janata Party. He has even made allegations against your family members saying they are corrupt.
That’s why I called Siddaramaiah a big liar. If my family members are involved in corruption, the Chief Minister is free to order an inquiry. I have not prevented him from conducting a probe against me.
Are you satisfied with your three-year term as Opposition leader in the Legislative Assembly?
Definitely. I have raised many misdeeds of the Congress government in the Assembly. Due to our work, the Siddaramaiah government has acquired a negative image.
Do you agree with the view that after Mr Yeddyurappa became Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit president, you have become hyper-active?
I don’t endorse this statement. There is no connection between my aggressiveness and Yeddyurappa’s appointment. If I maintain a low profile, the media asks why is Shettar keeping quiet? When I raise my voice against the government, the same media wonders why I have become aggressive.
It is evident that after Yeddyurappa became state BJP president, there is lack of co-ordination between you and him. You did not accompany a
Yeddyurappa-led delegation to Raj Bhavan to submit a drought report. Why?
As I was busy, I could not accompany him to the Raj Bhavan. I informed him about my programme in Hubballi and he agreed. But today I have not been invited for his press conference. If he had invited me for his press conference I would definitely have attended it.
When he took over as state president, Mr Yeddyurappa said the BJP cadre will see a changed BSY. He promised that he will not take unilateral decisions. Do you believe Yeddyurappa will take other leaders into confidence before taking any decision?
Definitely, we have all learnt from past experience. Due to our differences of opinion and division of votes, the Congress has come to power. If we unite, the Congress will never come to power. Our past experience has taught us a lesson. So, Yeddyurappa will take all of us into confidence.
The central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party has indicated that Mr Yeddyurappa will become the next Chief Minister if the party is voted to power in the state, even party state leaders are saying this. What will your position in the party be if Yeddyurappa becomes Chief Minister?
It is not mandatory to the party to give a position to everyone. Shettar is an ordinary worker in the party. I have emerged from an ordinary family and grew to this level because of the party. Without party backing, how could I have become Chief Minister? It is not correct on my part to demand any position or lobby for it. The central leadership recognized my hard work in building the party in North Karnataka.
Two prominent Lingayat leaders are at the helm of affairs in the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party, you and Mr Yeddyurappa. There are rumours that the Opposition leader’s post will go to either a Vokkaliga or Scheduled Caste leader. Are you ready to give up your post if change is inevitable?
There is no official discussion on this issue, there is no such proposal to remove me from the Opposition leader’s post. I have been Opposition leader for three years and I will continue for five years. If two leaders from the same community are enjoying top posts, the party might have thought over this before appointing Yeddyurappa as party president. So I am not worried about my removal.
On the implementation of Kalasa Banduri project, why are the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party involved in mudslinging? Why do you make people look like fools?
The Congress party is politicizing the issue by blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is the job of the Chief Minister to convince Congress leaders in Goa and Maharashtra about this. I had requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Vinay Kulkarni to convince Goa’s Opposition leaders on the project. I even assured the state Congress leaders that I will do everything possible for an amicable settlement. But I don’t think the Congress wants the row to be settled amicably.
