BENGALURU/SHIVAMOGGA: JDS leader Madhu Bangarappa on Thursday announced his plan to join the Congress officially. Madhu, whose brother Kumar Bangarappa is a BJP MLA, met Congress Legislature Party chief Siddaramaiah and confirmed his move to the Congress. The jump was anticipated ever since Madhu, son of former Chief Minister S Bangarappa, distanced himself from the JDS after Nikhil Kumaraswamy — son of former CM H D Kumaraswamy and grandson of former PM HD Deve Gowda — was appointed JDS youth wing president.
“Madhu Bangarappa, who has decided to join the Congress, met me today and spoke to me,” tweeted Siddaramaiah. Madhu, too, confirmed that he will join the Congress. Madhu, a former JDS MLA, tried to clear the air on the occasion of his 53rd birthday at Shivamogga on March 2, that the time had come to take a political decision and described it as a “birthday of change”.
Congress sources said that Madhu is meeting senior Congress leaders prior to joining the party, and that KPCC president D K Shivakumar had invited him to move, as he was close to the Bangarappa family.
“Madhu is joining the party along with his supporters at a grand convention. The venue and date will be decided soon,” said a senior Congress leader from Shivamogga district.
There are also possibilities of Madhu joining the Congress in Shivamogga when senior party leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Siddaramaiah and others arrive in the city on Saturday to stage a protest against the BJP for targeting Bhadravathi MLA B K Sangameshwar.
“Since Saturday is Amavasya, Madhu may not join on that day. There is also a possibility that he may join on Saturday itself at a simple function, and a grand convention will be held after some days. Shivakumar has also suggested that Madhu join the party at a grand function. A final decision on the date and venue will be taken soon,” added the Congress leader.