Laxman Savadi today met State Congress President DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Bengaluru:
Days after the BJP dropped him as its candidate in Karnataka, a senior leader today decided to join the Congress after holding a meeting with leaders who said taking “such great leaders” on board was their “best bet”. Duty”
Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi met State Congress chief DK Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru this morning. This meeting took place at Siddaramaiah’s house.
Laxman Savadi quit the BJP on Wednesday, a day after the BJP announced its first batch of candidates for the May 10 Karnataka elections.
Sources say the Congress may field Mr. Savadi, whose exit could be a blow to the BJP.
“There are no conditions. They feel they have been humiliated. It is our duty to bring such great leaders into the Congress party. There are more than nine or 10 sitting MLAs who want to join us but we do not have the space.” accommodate them,” Mr Shivakumar said.
Mr Savadi is a powerful Lingayat leader and was the BJP’s second most influential leader from the community in Karnataka after former chief minister BS Yediyurappa.
The 63-year-old three-time MLA on Wednesday announced that he has “taken a firm decision” and started working on it, without disclosing whether he was in talks with the Congress.
Savadi told reporters, “I have taken my decision. I am not one to go around with a begging bowl. I am a self-respecting politician. I am not working under anybody’s influence.”
Mr. Savadi, in the 2018 election, lost to Congress candidate Mahesh Kumatahalli in Athani constituency.
A year later, when mass defections from the Congress-Janata Dal Secular government enabled a coup by the BJP, he was replaced with the deputy chief ministership for his role in 2012 despite a major controversy after being caught watching porn in the assembly. Awarded.
Mahesh Kumathahalli, who is among these defectors, is the BJP candidate from Athani this time.
In the 2018 elections, the BJP emerged as the single largest party by winning 104 seats, with the Congress and then ally Janata Dal (Secular) winning 80 and 37 seats.
The counting of votes for the 224-seat Karnataka Assembly will take place on May 13.