Mangaluru: Senior Congress leader and former MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty, who was at the forefront of protest against Yettinahole drinking water project is repeatedly now facing the brunt.
If sources are to be believed then, he is being side-lined by the Congress party for this reason and is hence missing from the election campaign scenes.
It is a known fact that Shetty had taken active part in agitations organised against the Yettinahole project, while other leaders of the Congress party in Dakshina Kannada district did not be a party to it. However, Shetty did not step back from his decision of opposing the project. This has proved out to be costly to him.
Shetty was a ticket aspirant of Mangaluru North Assembly constituency, during the Assembly election of 2008, 2013 and 2018. However, party preferred to give ticket to leader Moideen Bava. Though Moideen Bava was defeated by BJP candidate Krishna J Palemar in the year 2008, he succeeded in defeating Krishna Palemar during his second attempt in the year 2013. However, Bava failed to become MLA in his third attempt and he was defeated by the young leader of BJP Dr Bharath Shetty during the last Assembly election.
In all these three times, Shetty was an aspirant of ticket, but the Congress High Command denied his candidature. It is said that Congress High Command had promised him an MLC seat in return of his support to Moideen Bava both times. However, party had denied to allocate any prominent position in the party over the years, which irked him the most.
Shetty was the president of Suratkal Block Congress Committee, but he was replaced by one Sadashiv Shetty, couple of months ago. Though Shetty is a former MLA, his name is neither included in the Congress’s publishing committee nor he is invited to any conferences of the party.
‘Ramanath Rai plays a vital role in denying opportunity to me’
When contacted, Shetty told newskarnataka.com that former minister B Ramanath Rai is playing a vital role in denying opportunities in the party to him. “ As I was identified in the protests against Yettinahole project, party has side-lined me. The district has been facing an acute shortage of water over the years. Then, what would be the impact of Yettinahole project, if the water at Nethravathi river too is diverted to the parched areas? Though I am identified with the Congress party, I won’t cheat our district for the sake of party’s interest. Some power-hungry leaders like Ramanath Rai may support the project, but I am not like him, ” he said.
However, Shetty clarified that he is not ready to quit the party. “ I will follow ‘wait and see policy’. As I am always committed to the party, I don’t like to leave the party. But, I am disappointed over the way the Congress party is treating the senior leaders”, he added.
