Kharge Sr took personal interest in onboarding Chinchansur

The BJP's attempts to defeat AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Priyank Kharge in Chittapur suffered a major jolt with senior leader Baburao Chinchansur set to return to Congress.

Chinchansur, who resigned as BJP MLC on Monday, is expected to help Congress' prospects in Chittapur and Gurmitkal.

To help Priyank

It is said that Kharge himself led the efforts to bring the five-time MLA and former minister Chinchansur back to the party fold and stall the BJP's plan to defeat Priyank.

Chinchansur is a prominent leader of the Koli Kabbaliga community, which has a large vote share in the Kalyana Karnataka region. It is estimated that the community forms 30% of the region's population.

The former minister's move could change the political scenario in the region despite the BJP's attempts to woo the community with the promise of ST status.

The community is classified under other backward classes and has launched a campaign to get the long-pending demand for inclusion in the ST category fulfilled.

"Chinchansur's influence and support base will help the Congress in some constituencies," Karnataka State Koli, Kabbaliga ST Horata Samiti president Lacchappa Jamadar said.

Kharge represented Gurmitkal for eight consecutive terms from 1978 to 2004. The segment is now held by JD(S).

Chinchansur's exit from Congress in 2018 had weakened the party in the constituency.

Now, there will be a direct fight betweern JD(S) MLA Nagangouda Kandkur and the Congress, because BJP does not have a strong base here.

"I have resigned from all posts in the BJP. I'll contest from Gurmitkal on the Congress ticket. The constituency has 80,000 Koli Kabbaliga votes. The community will support the Congress in the elections," Chinchansur told DH.

Sources said that he will join the Congress in the presence of Kharge and other leaders after Ugadi.

BJP state executive member and former MLC Amarnath Patil maintained that the party had the support of the community even before Chinchansur joined BJP. "Therefore, his exit from BJP will not cause any adverse effect," he said.