Twin cities in disbelief as Shettar suffers setback

The people had been closely watching the political developments in the State for the last one week.

Most of the people had remained indoors on Wednesday and were glued to their television sets watching the selection process of the new chief minister.

“Oops” was their instant and spontaneous reaction when the BJP leaders announced the result of the election of the new leader.

A majority of the residents said the ‘gentleman politician’ from Hubli, who was the most suitable candidate for the chief minister’s post, missed a golden opportunity this time.

Shettar’s teacher
Writer and retired teacher Niranjan Walishettar was more upset than anybody else. Walishettar was Shettar’s teacher in high school.

“We had thought he (Shettar) will certainly become the chief minister. He has all the qualifications. Since his childhood, he has been very sincere, obedient and hard working. North Karnataka would have witnessed more development had Shettar been elected chief minister,” he said.

Kamalavva Baanekar, a vegetable vendor from Gabbur, said: “Having our own man as CM is a matter of pride. Shettar should have become the chief minister. He would have taken up lot of development works,” she said, and added: “I don’t know why he lost the race.”
The merchant community in Hubli-Dharwad was at a loss of words to express its disappointment.

“Alri, intha vyaktiyanna arasalilla andra, innentha jana beku ivarige (If they don’t elect a gentleman like Shettar, who else will they elect),” asked Sharanappa Goudar, a rice merchant. Some of the merchants said Shettar had a good image and was acceptable to all.

Devaraj H Kattimani, who works as a political science lecturer in a private PU college, analysed the political scenario that led to Sadananda Gowda’s election in a different way.
He blamed some of the MLAs from the erstwhile Dharwad district, comprising Dharwad, Gadag and Haveri, for Shettar losing out.

“Had they (MLAs from these three districts) supported, he (Shettar) would have become CM easily. Our own MLAs cheated him.”

However, Srinivasacharya Naragund from Keshwapur in Hubli, has a different opinion. He said: “Yes, it would have been better if Shettar was elected. But we are living in a democratic set up and we must accept the majority decision (of electing Sadananda Gowda).”

Mother takes in her stride
“We cannot stop what is bound to happen. I am confident that my son will become the chief minister in the coming days, if not today.” These were the words of Basavannemma Shivappa Shettar, mother of Jagadish Shettar.

On Wednesday, she was watching TV at her residence and kept herself updated with the political developments. At Shettar’s home at Madhura Estate 2nd Cross, silence prevailed after it became clear that he had lost the race for the post of chief minister.

“I never expected Jagadish to come so close to the post of chief minister. Since his childhood, he is not so adamant about anything and has a very friendly and soft nature. I do not suggest him anything as he is capable of taking decisions on his own,” she said. He was interested in politics even when he was young and his father Shivappa Shettar had asked him to serve the poor, she said.