Udupi: Former minister and BJP leader K. Jayaprakash Hegde has returned to the Congress on Tuesday at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Bengaluru. According to sources, Hegde is likely the grand old party’s frontrunner for the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru constituency seat for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Hegde expressed gratitude for the unwavering guidance and support he received throughout his political and social journey and declared his decision to re-enter active politics with a commitment to foster coastal development and serve the people.
A seasoned politician, Hegde previously represented the Brahmavar constituency, both as a Janata Dal candidate (in 1994) and as an independent MLA (in 1999 and 2004).
He served as the minister of ports and fisheries in the Janata Dal government and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Udupi district, carved out of Dakshina Kannada.
Although the Brahmavar constituency ceased to exist after delimitation, Hegde’s political journey continued. He joined the Congress party, contesting as its candidate from Kundapur in the 2008 Assembly elections, but faced defeat. But in the 2012 by-election he secured the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru parliamentary seat from the BJP.
However, the 2014 elections saw the BJP reclaiming the seat. In 2017, he joined the BJP and served as the chairman of the state backward class commission. He recently submitted the caste census report to the state government.
