MANGALURU: Yettinahole river diversion protest leader and former Congress MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty is hoping for an assurance from AICC chief Rahul Gandhi for an MLC ticket before he decides on campaigning for the party in district.
"National Congress Party president Rahul Gandhi will visit Mangaluru on April 27. I will meet him in person about the party not keeping its promise on providing a MLC seat," said former Congress MLA Vijay Kumar Shetty, who also heads the Netravathi River Diversion protest. Depending on the outcome of meeting, Shetty said he will go all in for campaigning for the party in Mangaluru North consituency.
He praised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for his works and called him a gem, however he said a few members in the party were responsible for denying him the MLC seat. He recalled how he gave up his seat in 2008 to make way for another candidate and was denied a ticket in the following assembly election in 2013, on the pretext of giving him an MLC seat, a promise by Rajya Sabha member A K Antony. However, the promise did not materialise and Shetty hopes to get a redressal by the party president.
While Shetty was denied entry to the 250 member meeting during Rahul Gandhi's visit to the city the previous time, he is confident of meeting him this time, on the assurance of K C Venugopal and Vishnunath.
"I will submit my proposal to him, and remind him of the promise. Only after being assured of a MLC seat, we will go ahead with the campaign in Mangaluru North and other assembly constituencies," he said.
Shetty quelled rumours about joining the BJP. He assured to continue to fight against the Yettinahole project even after being an MLC, as the cause was much beyond politics and championed by scientists, he stressed.