BENGALURU: After former chief minister Jagadish Shettar’s sudden exit, the Congress leadership appears wary of former DCM Laxman Savadi following suit, as the latter remains in close touch with BJP and RSS leaders.
AICC president Mallikarjuna Kharge, speaking at the Republic Day celebrations at the KPCC office here on Friday, warned DCM DK Shivakumar against inducting leaders from other parties into the Congress. “When we want to buy a product, we carry out many tests. If you want to take someone into the party, their character and background should be checked. It is very important to check what ideology they followed and what they are accepting today,” he remarked.
“Whoever comes into the Congress should be included and empowered. Those who come to the party should be loyal,” he added.
Savadi was among the key players who had orchestrated Operation Lotus in 2019 and helped B S Yediyurappa become chief minister, after dislodging the Congress-JDS alliance government. He was made MLC and DCM in the Yediyurappa cabinet. The party’s national leadership had assigned him to campaign in some pockets of Maharashtra and Goa during assembly polls there, and sent him to Telangana in 2022.
But later, he was ignored and denied a ticket from Athani, following which he joined the Congress. Since he has proved his mettle, the BJP could draw him back into the party fold.
According to sources, BJP leaders, including K S Eshwarappa, held talks with Shettar and Savadi a couple of months ago, on instructions from RSS, and the fallout was Shettar’s return.
It will be no surprise if Savadi too returns to the BJP, sources said. “If he continues in the Congress, chances of him leading some MLAs to the BJP cannot be ruled out after the LS polls. He is in close touch with certain Congress MLAs, including a minister,” a Congress leader said.
No return: Savadi
In Chikkodi, Savadi clarified that though he has sympathisers in the BJP who want him back, he will not return. “I have senior leaders, friends and sympathisers as I had spent 20-25 years in BJP, but ultimately I have to make a decision. There is no question of quitting the Congress,” he said. “Savadi is a sensible person. No one else, including Savadi, will quit the Congress. There is a list of those who are willing to join the Congress,” Shivakumar claimed on Friday. But as soon as Shettar quit on Thursday, Shivakumar had reached out to Savadi.
