Karnataka polls: Congress approaches unhappy BJP leaders

With several BJP leaders, who were denied tickets, expressing their unhappiness, including former chief minister Jagadish Shettar, the Congress on Wednesday approached them with assurance to give tickets to contest the coming Assembly polls.

Senior Congress leaders have contacted Shettar and asked him to join the party and assured him of ticket. However, Shettar is learnt to have declined the offer, sources told DH.

The Congress, which is yet to announce candidates for 58 seats, expects to give tickets to some of the disgruntled BJP leaders. Out of 58 seats, the Congress was able to finalise candidates only for 28 seats, while the party is struggling to find suitable candidates for the remaining 30 seats, said a leader in the Congress.

Sources close to Shettar said he has received calls from the Congress to join the party. However, he rejected the offer. Though he was unhappy with the way the BJP treated him, he would prefer to contest as an Independent candidate, and not from any other party.

Read | Karnataka polls: BJP releases 2nd list of 23 candidates

The Congress leaders also approached senior BJP leader Laxman Savadi, who was denied ticket from Athani Assembly constituency, and assured him to field from the same seat. Though Savadi was planning to accept the offer, top BJP leaders from Delhi contacted him and convincing him to continue in the party.

Savadi, who was supposed to join Congress on Monday at Delhi, was delaying his decision due to pressure from the BJP, sources said.

The Congress leaders also contacted Mahadevappa S Yadawada (Ramdurg), Anil S Benake (Belagavi North) and asked them to join the party. The Janata Dal (Secular) leaders have approached Ramanna Lamani and promised party ticket from Shirahatti segment. However, the top BJP leaders also convinced these leaders not to quit and assured them to provide suitable posts in the party in the coming days.

The Congress top leaders also contacted the BJP leader and former MP Ayanur Manjunath to join the party, but he faced resistance from the local leaders. Manjunath's induction will happen only after taking approval from the local leaders, said a senior Congress leader.