JD(S) leader and former Mysuru mayor Sandesh Swamy to join BJP today

 Upset for being sidelined by JD(S), the party leader Sandesh Swamy has decided to join BJP.

Swamy, who is the brother of JD(S) MLC Sandesh Nagaraj, was aspiring for a ticket from Narasimharaja constituency in Mysuru.

The party, however, decided to field businessman Abdullah, leading to discontentment among Swamy and his brother.

Swamy, who faxed his resignation letter to party president H D Kumaraswamy from Mysuru on Thursday, told DH that the BJP has assured him a ticket from Narasimharaja constituency.

Swamy will join the BJP officially in the presence of party national president Amit Shah in Mysuru on Friday. Nagaraj's son S Nagaraj too will join the BJP along with his uncle.

Swamy, who is a former Mysuru Mayor, has also been elected as a corporator thrice. He had contested from Narasimharaja on a JD(S) ticket in 2013 and had lost to Congress candidate Tanveer Sait.

Nagaraj told DH that he is upset with party colleague and MLA Sa Ra Mahesh for influencing Kumaraswamy and thereby scuttling his brother's candidature. He has distanced himself from the party.