Behind every successful man, it is said, there is a woman and for Mr Jagadish Shettar, now preoccupied with his duties as Chief Minister, it is his wife who is calling the shots back home in his constituency in his absence. Not just his wife, Mr Shettar’s brother Pradeep too has been calling the shots in the constituency.
While her husband deals with the affairs of the state, Shilpa Shettar has a busy schedule, listening to people pour out their problems and organising party affairs in the constituency in preparation for the soon to be held assembly elections. Helping her is the Chief Minister's brother, Pradeep Shettar, who joins her in addressing people's problems, and meeting officials and elected representatives on developmental projects in all municipal wards of Hubli-Dharwad.
Government employees, including police personnel, make a beeline for their residences, seeking transfers and promotions and thousands approach them for admissions to reputed schools, colleges and hostels. “We are doing what we can to solve all the problems the people come to us with, except where they concern transfers. Demands are pouring in for release of grants from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, funds for temple renovation, construction of community halls and other developmental works. We are trying to do what we can within the legal framework,” says Mr Pradeep Shettar. With Mr Jagadish Shettar inaccessible, local BJP leaders too are now approaching Ms Shilpa Shettar and other family members to get their work done.
For Shilpa Shettar this is not a new role as she has been involved in election campaigns in the past and has been in touch with women's organisations to keep voters in the constituency represented by her husband happy. She also plays an active role in resolving differences among party leaders, unlike her sons who have so far stayed away from politics, preferring to concentrate instead on their software business and education.