BENGALURU: In a big blow to BJP ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, former BJP MLA from Hiriyur Poornima Srinivas and her husband DT Srinivas, who hails from the backward Golla community, joined Congress along with over 750 of her supporters here on Friday.
As the couple have influence over the community in different parts of the state, their followers from faraway places like Ballari arrived to witness the joining ceremony. Congress that did not have a prominent Golla community leader has gained with Poornima joining the party, while BJP has lost out on that account.
“I have Congress in my blood and that’s what brought me back to the party, which my father late A Krishnappa had organised,” she claimed, saying she joined the Grand Old Party accepting its ideology. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister and KPCC president DK Shivakumar promised them better treatment in the party.
“I am responsible for Poornima’s father Krishnappa missing the ticket during the 2013 Assembly elections as I had favoured Byrati Basavaraju, who eventually betrayed the party. Now, I assure Poornima that no injustice will be done to her in the party,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Poornima, Srinivas and their supporters are convinced that there is no social justice in BJP which is why so many leaders from backward communities are joining Congress,” he added.
Shivakumar said that many BJP leaders are expected to join Congress as they are upset with the BJP-JDS alliance for the general elections. “The number of people joining Congress has increased. Old-timers and newcomers should work hard. Disagreement in politics is natural, but we should keep it aside for the sake of the party’s ideology and work together,” he said.
“Under Mallikarjun Kharge’s leadership, the party came to power in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh. Rahul Gandhi has united the minds of the country by going on Bharat Jodo Yatra. Now, the I.N.D.I.A bloc has been formed and everyone should strengthen it,” he said.
Former chief minister Veerappa Moily, who gave Krishnappa a chance to debut in the Assembly elections by giving him the ticket to contest from the KR Puram constituency and inducting him into the cabinet, was also present. Former Dasarahalli ward corporator Narasima Nayak, BJP ST wing general secretary, also joined Congress.