MYSURU: The Congress suffered a major jolt in the run-up to Hunsur bypoll, as senior Congress leader and former ZP member C T Rajanna joined the BJP along with his supporters.Rajanna, a prominent Vokkaliga leader, had represented the ZP twice and his wife Jayalakshmi is a sitting ZP member from Chillakunda constituency. Rajanna, who held a meeting with his supporters, expressed displeasure over senior Congress leaders’ attitudes.
He, along with former TP member Sadananda, Swamy and others have decided to join the saffron party and work for the victory of party candidate A H Vishwanath. Rajanna, a Congress ticket aspirant, had contested as a rebel candidate in the previous assembly elections and managed to secure 9,000 votes. Known as a Congress loyalist, Rajanna has a considerable following among Vokkaliagas, and his entry into the BJP has boosted the morale of partymen. Senior BJP leaders had held talks with Rajanna and assured that the party would take care of him.