“A treacherous and an atrocious act by Shettar and Savadi” – BSY

S. A. Hemanth

Bengaluru, April 16: “This is nothing but a great betrayal and an atrocious act by both Jagadish Shettar and Lakshman Savadi. I condemn their act by the harshest ever words,” visibly upset and angry BJP supremo B. S. Yediyurappa said on Sunday.

In a specially convened press conference at the party’s media cell, Yediyurappa said both himself and Ananth Kumar had “protected” Shettar’s organizational and political interest. “We antagonized B. B. Shivappa in 1999 and made him the leader of the Opposition. We made him the minister, chief minister and Speaker. He has received everything from the party. What has he given to the party? Yediyurappa asked in an angry tone.

About Lakshman Savadi, Yediyurappa said he still had five years as MLC and he could have been made minister in the next BJP government.

“He was defeated in Athani. He was made MLC. He was made minister. The party has given everything to both Shettar and Savadi. Today, what they have done is an act of great betrayal,” Yediyurappa added.

Yediyurappa asserted that the BJP continues to remain strong as the “workers at the grass-root level” are dedicated and loyal to the party. “Only Shettar and Savadi have gone out. The entire rank and file of the party is intact. We will find an alternative candidate for Hubli-Dharwad. We are sure to win both Athani and Hubli. Both Savadi and Shettar will bite the dust,” the former chief minister said.

Continuing his diatribe against Shettar, Yediyurappa said he had been promised a gubernatorial post immediately after the elections and party’s central leaders requested him to play a bigger role in the elections in the form of campaigning.

“Shettar also was told that the party will give ticket to the candidate chosen by him. But he did not agree. I don’t know why he became so stubborn. This is not done in politics. The party takes certain decision in the overall interest of the party. We need to be accommodative and magnanimous. Unfortunately, both Shettar and Savadi remained unreasonably adamant,” the BJP supremo said.

EOM.