Jagadish Shettar's exit will not make a difference to BJP's electoral prospects, says CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Apr 17: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday the exit of Jagadish Shettar from the BJP would have no adverse impact on the party's prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections, and he was surprised by his decision to join the Congress.
Shettar, a six time MLA and former Chief Minister, parted ways with the BJP after being denied ticket to contest from Hubli-Dharwad (Central), which he represented in the outgoing Assembly.
Bommai dismissed Shettar's charge that he was not given respect in the BJP and there was a conspiracy behind the move to drop him.
Shettar was treated with a lot of respect and the party had given him positions. "In his growth in the last 25 years, the BJP played a main role", the Chief Minister said.
His departure has paved the way for emergence of new leadership in the region, the Chief Minister said.
"There is not going to be any difference (to BJP's electoral prospects)," he said, expressing total confidence that the party will return to power with a clear majority.
Bommai charged the Congress with having a culture of "use and throw."
He said the Congress would honour leaders joining it till the elections; thereafter, within a few months they would face insult. He cited the instances of former Congress Chief Ministers Veerendra Patil, D Devaraj Urs and S Bangarappa, in this regard.
"Despite knowing this, I don't know why Shettar joined the Congress. I am surprised," the Chief Minister added.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
