Ex-Congress MLA Nandihalli Halappa, noted ophthalmologist Appaji Gowda join BJP

Speaking to reporters after joining the ruling party, Gowda said times have changed now and he has the confidence to contest against Shivakumar.

Published on: Apr 5, 2023, 09:59:25 IST

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Former Congress MLA Nandihalli Halappa and noted ophthalmologist Dr Appaji Gowda, who is aspiring for a ticket to contest the upcoming election from Kanakapura constituency against Congress state president D K Shivakumar, joined the BJP on Tuesday.

According to BJP sources, Halappa had started his political career from Congress and became an MLA from Hadagali constituency in Vijayanagara district.

Welcoming their entry into the BJP, state unit president Nalin Kumar Kateel said the party got a mighty support in the newly carved Vijayanagara district with the arrival of Halappa.

Speaking about Gowda, who is also a former Vokkaliga Sangha president, Kateel said the party will be immensely benefited in the old Mysuru region.

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According to BJP sources, Halappa had started his political career from Congress and became an MLA from Hadagali constituency in Vijayanagara district. P T Parameshwara Naik of the Congress was elected as MLA from the constituency in 2018 assembly election. Halappa is keen on contesting on the BJP ticket from Hadagali.

Speaking to reporters after joining the ruling party, Gowda said times have changed now and he has the confidence to contest against Shivakumar.

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"Once upon a time, Congress was all over the country, which has changed now. We will present the works and achievements of the BJP before the electorate. They will decide," Gowda said.

He added that the idea behind contesting from the constituency was to "bring the people of Kanakapura to the mainstream."

Voting for the state assembly polls will be held on May 10 and counting of votes is scheduled for May 13.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More