BENGALURU: Former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ramappa Lamani joined Congress party on Thursday quitting BJP and stated that he was pained over the attitude of leaders in BJP which made him join Congress party and hinted that BJP’s base would further erode in Karnataka in coming days.
After joining the Congress party, Lamani said BJP won in 66 seats in May 2023 election after some of its nominees won by less than a 1,500 votes, otherwise the BJP would have been restricted to just 40 seats.
According to Lamani, the Congress party would stay in power for the next 10 years and stated that he joined the Congress party without imposing conditions. He assured to strive hard for the success of the party nominee in Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
President of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar stated that he had a list of 42 leaders from other parties willing to join Congress party and former BJP leaders-Jagadiesh Shettar and Laxman Savadi, now in Congress party, have a huge list of leaders from north Karnataka eager to join the Congress party.
Shivakumar said, about 100 leaders of Aam Aadmi Party who contested 2023 Assembly polls have also expressed interest to join the Congress party and stated leaders from Bidar from north tip of the State to Chamarajangar down in south Karnataka have come forward to join the Congress party.
