Bellary: Having openly spoken of his willingness to welcome BJP and JD(S) leaders into the party, energy minister, D K Shivakumar, who is in charge of the Bellary (ST) byelection, is now reportedly wooing many of them to join the Congress to boost its chances this bypoll.
While nearly a dozen taluk panchayat and gram panchayat members of the BJP and JD(S) in the constituency joined the Congress on Friday in the presence of Mr Shivakumar and district-in-charge minister, P. T. Parameshwar Naik. More opposition leaders are expected to join it in the next couple of days as the party has reportedly prepared a list of disgruntled BJP and JD(S) men to woo ahead of the poll.
The response is said to be greater among JD(S) workers as their party has not fielded a candidate these elections. Accusing the Congress of offering money to lure his partymen and weaken the BJP’s support base in the constituency, Karnataka Milk Federation president and BJP leader, Somashekhar Reddy asserted that it would not win the elections whatever its strategy.
“People of the constituency do not trust the Congress and are aware that only the BJP can bring them development,” he claimed, campaigning in Cowl Bazar area. BJP MP, B. Sreeramulu too accused the Congress of contacting his party leaders and members of women self-help-groups to offer them various incentives to join it.
“Congress leaders are blatantly violating the election code of conduct by offering money to our party leaders, panchayat members and women SHG groups to join their party,” he charged, campaigning in Haraginadoni village here on Saturday.
