Two BJP leaders hold talks with Shivakumar at party, fan speculation

The pictures of Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar holding talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders BC Patil and Narasimha Nayak (Raju Gowda) has triggered a political row in the state

The pictures of Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar holding talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders BC Patil and Narasimha Nayak (Raju Gowda) has triggered a political row in the state amid the speculations of Congress to poach BJP leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, people familiar with the matter said.

Pictures of deputy CM DK Shivakumar with BJP leaders at a party sparks political buzz. (HT Photo)

Pictures of Shivakumar speaking with Patil and Gowda during actor Sudeep’s birthday celebrations at JW Marriott Hotel in Bengaluru on Saturday, were widely shared, triggering rumors that certain leaders from the BJP might be considering to shift sides.

There are already rumours of Yeshwanthpur MLA ST Somashekhar, RR Nagar MLA N Munirathna, KR Puram MLA Byrathi Basavaraj and Yellapur MLA Shivaram Hebbar’s potential departure to Congress.

Raju Gowda, who is the former MLA from Shorapur assembly constituency and BC Patil, the former MLA of Hirekerur assembly constituency, have however, denied the claims.

“There is no operation. I have no disease and there is no issue. It was Sudeep’s birthday yesterday. All of us were together to celebrate it at the JW Marriot Hotel. As soon as I went there, I met BC Patil and we were discussing about various issues after the elections. DK Shivakumar also arrived. There were several actors, directors at the event. Since it was just a few of us politicians, we spoke in a friendly way...I have no reason to leave the party and will stand by it during tough times,” Gowda said.

Patil also claimed that he would not leave his party. “I will not go to Congress again. Our party is different and their party is different. DK Shivakumar arrived on the occasion of Sudeep’s birthday. Raju Gowda and I were also there. I have been friends with DKS since the beginning and I had not seen him after the election. We spoke as a courtesy.”

Gowda, however, admitted that there is discontent in BJP and he had raised it in the party meeting recently.

“After removing B S Yediyurappa from the post of Chief Minister, to some extent our downfall started, which did not pick up again. There is no second thought about it. Now Yediyurappa is at the forefront. Vijayendra is also there. Yediyurappa is doing his job of building the party,” he said.

Palm is the Congress’s party symbol and ‘Operation Hasta’ is said to be in retaliation to the BJP’s ‘Operation Lotus’ in 2019 when 17 Congress and JD(S) legislators jumped ship to join the BJP. Operation Lotus had resulted in the toppling of the short-lived coalition government of Congress and the JD(S).

Meanwhile, former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, who joined Congress in the run up to the assembly elections after he was denied a BJP ticket, claimed there was discontent among several BJP leaders, adding that they have expressed their desire to jump ship.

“There is discontentment and insecurity among several BJP leaders. Several of them have also expressed their desire to join Congress. They have told me as well. But I can’t reveal their names. Once it’s decided, I can tell who they are...We haven’t approached anyone personally. They are willing to join us voluntarily. Let’s wait and see,” Shettar said on Sunday.

Shettar had last week ridiculed the BJP as a “sinking ship” after BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh said in a party meeting that around 45 Congress leaders were in touch with him. Shettar, who has been a vocal critique of Santhosh, also challenged him to poach the MLAs if he could.

Calling the BJP, a “sinking ship”, Karnataka minister for large and medium industries and infrastructure development MB Patil also said that not just Lingayat leaders, but those of “all the communities are waiting to join Congress.

Meanwhile, former deputy chief minister KS Eshwarappa on Saturday claimed that there would be no Congress government in Karnataka after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, adding that ‘Operation Lotus’ would begin to topple the government soon. “Congress has not been able to lure a single BJP legislator so far...We will give one-month deadline and let them lure a single MLA of BJP,” Eshwarappa said.

The Congress aims to win 20 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state and is looking for strong candidates. It also has its eyes set on the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) polls.