Belgaum’s newly-elected Member of Parliament, Jagadish Shettar, described his win with a margin exceeding 150,000 votes as “surprising” and emphasized that it reflects the support of Belgaum’s residents. He credited his victory to the extensive development initiatives carried out in the constituency over four terms by the late BJP MP Suresh Angadi, as well as the dedicated efforts of party workers across all eight Assembly segments of the Belgaum Lok Sabha constituency.
He commended the BJP workers in Belgaum South Assembly segment for securing the highest number of votes, totaling 73,000, followed by approximately 50,500 votes in the Belgaum Rural Assembly segment. Shettar highlighted the diligent efforts of party workers across all eight Assembly segments throughout the campaign, ensuring widespread support for the BJP. He emphasized that the parliamentary elections centered around national issues and leadership, noting the significant influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and his vision for the country over the past decade, which resonated deeply with the electorate.
In response to speculation that leaders from other political parties aided the BJP in Belgaum’s election, Shettar acknowledged their support and expressed gratitude. However, he refrained from disclosing specific names of those who contributed indirectly, indicating he would reveal this information at a later time.
He reminisced about the warm reception he received from the people of Belgaum and party members upon his arrival on March 27, following his selection as the BJP candidate for the Belgaum seat. Shettar also reflected on the significant turnout of supporters when he submitted his nomination papers. He credited Angadi’s influential 16-year tenure as MP for significantly aiding his victory by a substantial margin in the election.
Shettar also remembered the efforts made by BJP MLAs Balachandra Jarkiholi from Arabhavi and Ramesh Jarkiholi from Gokak, who contributed significantly to securing a substantial number of votes from their respective constituencies. He acknowledged their efforts in mobilizing considerable voter support across various other Assembly segments as well. Addressing a question about whether Congress MLA Laxman Savadi supported him, Shettar clarified that Savadi did not reach out to him at any point. He added that the internal issues within the Congress party were not something he was concerned about.
