Bengaluru: Senior Congress leader and former minister Baburao Chinchansur and his wife Amareshwari Chinchansur joined the BJP here on Wednesday.
To induct Mr. Chinchansur into the party, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi flew from Delhi to Bengaluru. In the run-up to the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP is going all out to woo powerful leaders from the Congress and JD(S). With the induction of Mr Chinchansur, the party has received a big boost in Kalaburgi district as the former minister belongs to the Koli community, which has considerable strength in the entire Hyderabad-Karnataka region.
Speaking to reporters after inducting Mr Chinchansur, Mr Yeddyurappa said, “In fact we did try earlier to induct him into the party. But it did not materialize, however this time on the request of Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi and BJP leader Malikayya Guttedar, Mr Chinchansur made up his mind to join the BJP.”
After consultations in the party core committee, the BJP will give him a major responsibility. “Chinchanur’s induction will help us defeat Congress leader in the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge in the coming Lok Sabha elections in Kalaburgi”, Mr Yeddyurappa said.
He revealed that many Congress leaders are in touch with the BJP to join the party. “We are keen on inducting former chief secretary Ratna Prabha too but no decision has been taken yet”, he said.
Mr Chinchansur said the Congress has completely neglected the powerful Koli community in Karnataka but the BJP made Ram Nath Kovind President and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi a central minister. Both belong to the Koli community.
