Karnataka: BJP Leaders Renukacharya, Hebbar Hint At Joining Congress Ahead of Lok Sabha Polls – News18

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, MP Renukacharya who was the Political Secretary of former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has intended to leave the BJP and join the Congress party.

Days after meeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, the former BJP MLA MP said that the saffron party leaders were spreading dirt about him due as they were not able to digest this.

Renukacharya also said that the BJP was losing its presence on the ground and they would not secure enough seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. In the 2019, the BJP won 25 seats out of 28 seats in Karnataka.

“Somewhere they (BJP) are not able to bear all this. I will speak directly. Our leaders are making various slanders. There is nothing wrong in meeting the CM and DyCm of the state. I have told them (CM and DyCM) to include the taluks into drought-hit taluks and have pressurized them for it,” said former BJP MLA.

Apart from him, there are speculations of  MLA Shivaram Hebbar also “struggling” in the BJP, and planning to join Congress. Minister for fisheries, ports and inland water transport Mankal S Vaidya gave hints for Hebbar’s “ghar vapsi.”

The Minister said that Shivaram Hebbar is struggling in the BJP and wants to return to his home that is Congress party.

This comes as Hebbar also met the CM Siddaramaiah and submitted a memorandum seeking declaration of Yellapur taluk as drought-hit following deficit rainfall a few days back.

“Shivaram Hebbar might join the party or others too might join the party. We won’t ask about it. But we have already told him that don’t have the aim of becoming MP, or Minister while joining the Party. It is just that he is struggling there and we can’t see him like that and thus he just wants to return to his home and he is coming back,” Vaidya said.

With speculations rising of a few BJP leaders planning to join the Congress party ahead of Lok Sabha polls after witnessing a spectacular victory in the recently concluded assembly elections, the party has also made it clear that is ready to welcome them.