Bengaluru: The ruling BJP, which hopes to win around a dozen or more seats in the coming bypolls to 15 assembly constituencies, received a jolt on Monday with its former Kagwad MLA, Raju Kage announcing his decision to quit the party and join the Congress.
Mr Kage , who is miffed at the saffron party promising the Kagawad ticket to disqualified MLA, Sreemanth Patil, has reportedly been offered the Congress ticket for the constituency in the byelections. "I have decided to quit the BJP and will submit my resignation to the party on Tuesday. I will join the Congress party on November 13 and soon meet former Chief Minister, H.D.Kumaraswamy to seek his support in the byelections," Mr. Kage told reporters after his meeting with former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah during the day.
"Considering my political future, I have decided to contest the bypoll. If I sit at home, I will become politically insignificant in days to come and so I have decided to quit the BJP. I will not go back to that party in future," he asserted. Chief Minister B.S.Yediyurappa had reportedly tried his best to persuade Mr. Kage to campaign for Mr Sreemanth Patil and offered him the post of a head of a board or corporation in return. But Mr. Kage remained adamant about contesting the bypoll and refused to be swayed.
BJP leader Ashok Poojari, however, denied rumours in Gokak that he was joining the Congress following his recent meeting with Congress leader, D.K. Shivakumar in Belagavi. “I am a staunch follower of the BJP and so there is no question of me joining the Congress," he said, adding that he would campaign for the party candidate in the bypoll.
