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8 BJP legislators keen to join Cong, says Savadi
BJP Rajya Sabha MP Iranna Kadadi firmly denied the possibility of any BJP legislators defecting to Congress
At least eight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs are ready to join the Congress, seeking a suitable opportunity to make their move, Athani Congress legislator Laxman Savadi said. The announcement aligns with recent remarks by BJP legislator, who has been close to Congress, ST Somashekhar, who suggested migration of BJP members to Congress. However, BJP leaders dismissed the claim as baseless, calling it a politically motivated assertion.
At a public gathering in Athani within the Chikkodi parliamentary constituency on Sunday at an event, Savadi said that multiple BJP legislators are disillusioned with the party’s leadership. A former BJP member himself, Savadi played a role in the “Operation Lotus” initiative that had allegedly resulted in the fall of the HD Kumaraswamy-led JD(S)-Congress coalition government.
“These senior legislators have recognised the unsustainable position of the BJP and are considering joining the Congress for their political future,” Savadi said, adding that the Congress has not yet taken a formal decision on these potential inductions. He further said: “The shift of these BJP members would heavily impact the opposition’s standing” while referring to the success of Congress’s guarantee schemes as a primary reason for the interest in switching parties.
According to him, the eight BJP legislators who intend to switch to Congress are veteran politicians and are dissatisfied with the state leadership under BY Vijayendra, the party’s key figure. He said that figures like Ramesh Jarkiholi and Basanagouda Patil Yatnal have been vocal about their opposition to Vijayendra’s leadership, which has resulted in factional divisions within the BJP.
Several former BJP leaders, including Somashekhar and Shivaram Hebbar, have publicly supported the Congress. Savadi highlighted the case of CP Yogeshwar, who was instrumental in building BJP’s base in Channapatna but, according to him, was sidelined during elections. He criticised the BJP’s leadership for what he called “immature decisions,” hinting that Yogeshwar and others might join Congress to safeguard their political careers.
Savadi, who served as the deputy chief minister in BS Yediyurappa’s government after facilitating defections from the Congress and JD(S) during the last term, shifted allegiances to Congress after being denied a BJP ticket in the recent assembly elections. In the May 2023 elections, he defeated BJP candidate Mahesh Kumathalli with an overwhelming margin, marking a shift of power in Athani, his political stronghold.
Vinay Navalgatti, Belagavi district (Rural) Congress president, reiterated Savadi and Somashekhar’s remarks, suggesting that a broader wave of BJP and JD(S) legislators are interested in joining Congress due to its effective rollout of five key welfare schemes. “Not only eight, but over a dozen legislators have expressed interest,” Navalgatti said.
Ramdurg Congress legislator and government chief whip Ashok Pattan echoed this sentiment, claiming that 12 to 15 legislators from BJP and JD(S) are waiting for Congress’s approval. “The legislators are trying to avoid defection by securing a significant number to retain their seats as they switch parties,” Pattan explained.
In response to these remarks, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Iranna Kadadi, representing Belagavi, firmly denied the possibility of any BJP legislators defecting to Congress. He argued that the Congress government’s welfare schemes are not sustainable solutions and have overshadowed development efforts. “The BJP legislators are wise enough to stay; there is no better future in Congress,” Kadadi asserted, dismissing the allegations as mere political statements.
