Former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar’s decision to rejoin the BJP, after bidding goodbye to the Congress less than one year after joining it, will force the grand old party to rework its poll strategy to garner more seats in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Within the Congress, the resignation of 68-year-old Mr. Shettar, a staunch RSS man and senior BJP leader, is expected to give strength to the demand for a Deputy Chief Minister’s post to the Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader in the State.
Soon after Mr. Shettar rejoined the BJP, Industries Minister M.B. Patil, who is one of the strong claimants for the post, hinted that the party high command will have to take a decision on providing Deputy Chief Minister’s post to the Lingayat legislator in the State ahead of the general elections.
