All India Congress Committee General Secretary Oscar Fernandes said on Friday that former Karnataka DG&IGP Shankar M Bidari had expressed his willingness to join the Congress and that the party would welcome him. 

Speaking to reporters here, he said the party had not promised any ticket to Bidari to contest the coming Assembly polls.

Earlier in the day, Bidari met Fernandes at the Congress headquarters and held a discussion. Though Bidari tried to meet All India Congress Committee president Sonia Gandhi, he could not get an appointment on Friday as she had other engagements.

The Congress, which is looking for a Lingayat community leader, is likely to field Bidari from Teradal Assembly segment in the coming elections.