Congress onboards Hoskote MLA Sharath Bachegowda

Sharath became an associate member of the CLP

Hoskote legislator Sharath Bachegowda, an Independent, on Thursday formally extended support to the Congress.

Since he cannot join the congress, Sharath became an associate member of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP).

Sharath, 37, is the son of BJP's Chikballapur MP B N Bachegowda. The BJP expelled Sharath last year after he rebelled and contested the December 2019 bypolls, which he won as an Independent by defeating the party's candidate M T B Nagaraj.

“I'm also announcing outside support to the CLP,” Sharath said during an event to mark his entry into the Congress fold. “This (move) isn't for my personal growth, but the development of my taluk,” he said.

For the Congress, onboarding Sharath will give the party a face to bank on in the Hoskote constituency. For long, Hoskote was seen as the pocket borough of Sharath's father Bachegowda who represented the segment ever since he was with the Janata Dal 1994 onward. Congress' Nagaraj (now with BJP) managed to infiltrate the constituency for the first time in 2004. The sizeable Muslim population of Hoskote could work in Sharath's favour.

“Since Sharath is an Independent, he can’t join our party as the anti-defection law comes in the way,” CLP Leader Siddaramaiah said. “He can’t join any party during his term till 2023.”

Siddaramaiah, however, vowed to support Sharath. “This BJP government is the worst that I’ve seen,” he said. “It must be removed and Sharath will be a part of that.”