BJP Leader And Five-Time MLA Halady Srinivas Shetty Hints At Retirement From Electoral Politics In Karnataka

Shetty is likely to announce the decision on his political career at a press conference on Tuesday, according to PTI sources.

The undefeated MLA has been representing Kundapur constituency for the last 25 years.

Source : Twitter/@VisitUdupi

Halady Srinivas Shetty who is a BJP leader and five-time MLA from Kundapura constituency in Udupi district has indicated to his confidantes that he will not contest for the upcoming Assembly elections, as per PTI.

Party sources said on Monday, that Shetty will soon take a call with regard to his candidature and his future in politics. They said that a popular leader in Udupi district is contemplating political retirement and that his rider would likely be his close aide Kiran Kumar Kodgi, who would be given the ticket from Kundapur to contest on a BJP ticket.

Shetty is likely to announce the decision on his political career at a press conference on Tuesday, according to PTI sources.

Shetty’s announcement comes at a crucial time as the BJP is gearing up for the assembly elections in Karnataka, which are scheduled to take place on May 10. If Shetty decides to contest, the BJP will have to rework their strategy while fixing candidates in other constituencies of the district.

The undefeated MLA has been representing Kundapur constituency for the last 25 years. The 71-year-old was elected from the segment once as an independent. According to Dajiworld there has been rumours about his retirement since 2018.

The news outlet stated that Jayaprakash Hegde's name has come up for the Kundapur constituency. Shetty’s age has also been a factor for him to take the decision of stepping down from the electoral fray.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and MLC Ayanur Manjunath on Monday said he will resign as a member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, and contest the May 10 Assembly polls from the Shivamogga constituency.

However, he did not specify whether he would contest from any other political party or as an independent candidate.

He also challenged senior BJP leader and former Minister K S Eshwarappa or his son K E Kantesh to contest against him in the polls, as he hit out at the former for seeking a ticket for son, rather than for those who worked with him to build the party, and also for allegedly making certain comments against him.

If he resigns, Manjunath will become the third BJP MLC to resign, after Puttanna and Baburao Chinchansur, ahead of the Assembly polls. Both Puttanna and Chinchansur have joined the Congress.