Amarnath Shetty to be MLC?

By CT reporter
MANGALORE: The chances of the former Moodbidri legislator Amarnath Shetty becoming an MLC are high considering the recent political developments. The fact is that Amarnath Shetty despite remaining in active politics for a significant number of years as legislator and minister has presently turned out to be a not so noteworthy figure in DK politics.
Of the six MLC posts that would fall vacant shortly, the JD(S) would bag three seats with Shetty standing a chance of bagging one of them. Presently, following the exit of Vasanth Bangera from the JD(S), the party has become a ship sans a navigator and has even bitten dust in the Ullal elections by losing its deposit.
Sources indicate that the party which strongly felt that at least a legislator from the district may help boost the sagging image of the part in the district wants Shetty to be made an MLC.
In case Amarnath Shetty gets as seat in the Upper House, then the possibility of him getting projected as state minister during the tenure of the BJP led government after October cannot be ruled out.
A long journey
As far as DK is concerned, Amarnath Shetty had played a significant role like Vasanth Bangera, in building up JD(S). He has served as legislator of Mulki-Moodbidri constituency and also a state minister. He was once the district president of Janata Dal also. When there was a split in the Dal he had identified himself with Ramakrishna Hegde and had followed him in Nava Nirmana Vedike, Janata Dal (United) and ABPJD. Later, at one stage he had even been in proximity with the BJP and had sprung a surprise a few years ago by being present at the Bajpe airport in Mangalore during the arrival of the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
In developments that followed later on he identified himself with the JD(S) of Deve Gowda after JD (U) virtually lost existence in the district.
Though he had contested the previous assembly elections, he could not emerge victorious owing to the ploy of another JD(S) leader.
In fact, it was he who was instrumental in forging a BJP-JD(S) alliance in the Mangalore taluk Panchayat despite opposition from the then district president Vasanth Bangera. He also saw to it that his son-in-law Bharath Shetty was made the district JD(S) youth wing president. Presently, with the JD(S) being a partner in the government, it may not be difficult for Shetty to get a berth in the Upper House.
In the meantime, sources indicate that Vasanth Bangera had demanded the Vidhana Parishat membership earlier itself and when he realised that he stood no chance, launched a tirade against Gowda and Kumaraswamy. It is said it was owing to this reason he quit the party and planned to join the Congress.
Now, it is being widely felt that Shetty is being considered for the MLC post, to suppress Bangera politically.

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It’s Bunts all over in JD(S)
It has been Bunts all over in the district unit of the Janata Dal (S). While Balaraj Rai has been made the district president of the party, Dr Bharath Shetty is the president of the district youth wing of the JD(S). Yogish Shetty Jeppu is the nominated member of MCC. The Suratkal assembly unit president of the party is Sureshchandra Shetty. Thus almost all strategic posts of the JD(S) in the district have gone to members of the Bunt community itself.

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