20 leaders from BJP, some from JD(S) to join Cong: K'taka Home Minister

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress chief and state Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday claimed that about 20 leaders from BJP and a few from JD(S) will be joining the party in the days to come.

"During my visit to Gundlupet and Nanjanagudu also I had said that few BJP leaders will be joining the party, I have said about 20 of them.....we will have to wait a bit for that time," Parameshwara told reporters.

He said "I want public to know that people were joining our party also. In the days to come we will inform the people- which leader, from where, and what party will be joining Congress."

Congress which is witnessing an exodus of sorts, suffered a severe blow recently with party veteran and former Chief Minister SM Krishna joining the BJP.

Among the other leaders who quit the party recently to join BJP includes former Ministers Srinivas Prasad, Kumar Bangarappa and K Jayaprakash Hegde.

Stating that a few JD(S) MLAs had met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently, Parameshwara said they had also met him.

"They have discussed with me regarding joining the Congress party. We are positively considering it...." According to sources, most of the suspended JD(S) rebel MLAs were in touch with Congress leadership, and are willing to join the party.

Cracking the whip, JD(S) in June last year had suspended its eight rebel MLAs who voted against its official candidate and supported Congress in the biennial elections to fill four Rajya Sabha seats from Karnataka.

Elections for the 224-member Assembly in the state, is scheduled for early 2018.