The exit of former Karnataka chief minister Jagadish Shettar from the BJP just ahead of the Karnataka Assembly Election 2023 continued to dominate the campaigning there as Union minister Smriti Irani on Tuesday called him a backstabber and said those who can not be of their religion, family or ideology can never be of the public. "Today I want to ask him whose No. 2 you are -- Shivakumar's or Siddaramaiah's?" Smriti Irani said.

Addressing a public meeting in Dharwad as the party's star campaigner, the Union minister said, "A few days ago one of our men backstabbed us and went to the other camp. Everyone knows who I am talking about. I want to tell the people of Hubli-Dharwad that who cannot be of their religion, family or ideology can never be of the public."

"He is elder to us. We made him the Chief minister. We brought him to the top and for his own greed he went to the other side," Smriti Irani said.