**EDS: GRAB VIA PYI VIDEO** New Delhi: Former Karnataka CM Jagadish Shettar, who joined the Congress last year before the Karnataka assembly election, rejoins BJP in the presence of party leaders BS Yediyrappa and Bhuendra Yadav, in New Delhi, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024.
Credit: PTI Photo
Congress leader and Former CM Jagadish Shettar, who rejoined BJP on Thursday, said that he decided to return to the BJP to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"I decided to rejoin the BJP to strengthen the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the leadership of Modi, the country witnessed lot of development. We need to strengthen his hands so that he could became the PM for the third time," Shettar told media after joining the BJP.
"In the interest of nation and country's security, there is need to bring back Modi as the PM. I will work for the BJP and strengthen the party," he said.
"Even since I joined the Congress, several BJP workers and leaders have been urging me to rejoin the BJP. Several central leaders also wanted I should return the BJP. So I decided to rejoin the party," he said.
" I specially thank to former CM B S Yediyurppa and state unit president B Y Vijayendra for making efforts to bring me back to the BJP, " he added.
He also said when he was in Congress it's leaders including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Congress state unit president and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar treated him well by giving respect and position. Shettar also thanked Congress leaders.