Sirsi/UNI: Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Sunday quit as a BJP MLA but retained his primary membership of the party.

Shettar met Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri at his residence here and held a discussion with him for over an hour. "I have only quit as an MLA, (not primary membership of the party)," he told reporters after emerging out of the meeting here.

His move came after BJP denied him a ticket to contest from Hubballi-Dharwad Central for May 10 assembly polls in the state.

Asked about his next course of action, Shettar said, "I will decide on it after holding talks with my supporters." On Shettar's plans to join Congress, he said he has not made any contact with any leaders of the rival party.

Speaking to reporters in Hubballi earlier, Shettar said he would leave the party as he has been humiliated to the core and never expected such a thing to happen to him in his political career.

He, however, expressed his gratitude to the saffron party for giving him opportunities to serve it in various capacities for the past four decades.

Shettar refused to comment when asked whether he would join Congress or contest the election as an Independent.

"I have had a very clean image ..... but I want to know why the party denied tickets to me, but they do not have any answer," he said.

Shettar said he rejected the offers made by central party leader Dharmendra Pradhan, like giving him higher positions and fielding a family member.

Yesterday, Shettar quoted former CM BS Yediyurappa that at least 20 to 25 seats will be impacted if he was denied a ticket.

Pradhan, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi held marathon talks with Shettar, advising him to not take any extreme steps.