Former legislator returns to Cong, supporters follow

His return empowers party, says Muniyappa

After being out of the Congress for four year, former legislator A Nagaraju returned to the party formally on Friday.

Union Minister K H Muniyappa and District Congress Committee president M L Anil Kumar welcomed him at a party meeting.

Muniyappa, who addressed the gathering, said Nagaraju, who led the Congress in the district for 18 years, had strived to build the party to great heights at taluk-level and also bring it to power. He had also won the Assembly elections three times.

“We were all disappointed when he decided to quit the party four years ago, so this is like a homecoming. Nagaraju’s return has been a great advantage move for the party,” he said, adding, “Putting aside any differences we might have had at one point, we will now join hands to strengthen the Congress further.”

The minister reminded that the upcoming polls were a major test for the party, and requested Nagaraju to lead party activists and leaders in the district to ensure the party comes to power in the local bodies.

‘Till the end’

Nagaraju said he felt the move a return to his native party. “I hope to continue here till the end to ensure the party only gets stronger,” he added.

Anil Kumar said Nagaraju’s return had opened a new door of hope for the party in the taluk. “All differences of opinion so far have been brought to an end, and we will work united to bring the Congress to power,” he said.

Zilla Panchayat former vice-president V Gopala Reddy, PLD Bank director M V Hanumanthaiah, Yettakodi Veerabhadrappa, Anjani Somanna, former president of the Town Municipal Council M V Lakshmaiah, Badagi Srinivas and Nidaramangala Venkataswamy were among several supporters of Nagaraju who joined the Congress with the former legislator.