Karnataka BJP legislators stall plans to go to Congress

Ayanoor Manjunath, former MP of BJP and now in JDS has joined Congress in a bid to get LS ticket from Shimoga..He lost his recent Assembly elections against Congress candidate. He jumped to JDS as he didn't get BJP ticket. Likewise Shivaram Hebbar, MLA, a  BJP leader and former minister had a detailed meeting with Chief minister Siddaramaiah and deputy Chief minister Shivakumar on joining Congress. But all of a sidden, dlisgruntled BJP legislators who were keen on returning to Congress have developed cold feet as they are unlikely to get plum posts.  Besides, Congress is already saddled with a problem of plenty.Many of those who left Congress and JD(S) in 2019 to help BJP grab the helm,were looking to rejoin Congress ahead of next year’s Lok Sabha elections. They include Byrathi Basavaraj (KR Puram),ST Somashekar Yeshwantpur) and Shivaram Hebbar (Yellapur) (all originally from Congress) besides K Gopalaiah (Mahalakshmi Layout) and Doddanagoud Patil (Kushtagi — both JD-S).
But with CM Siddaramaiah already filling all 34 cabinet slots and with dissent brewing in the party after several senior party functionaries were denied berths, there is very limited scope of Congress rewarding “returnees”. Moreover, defectors would only add fuel to fire. Even several seniors like Mysuru MLA Tanveer Sait have resisted the induction of defectors.Congress has 136 MLAs, of whom more than 50 are seniors. Should MLAs from BJP rejoin, they will have to resign and face a byelection to get reelected on a Congress ticket. This is seen as a risky proposition, especially in seats like Yeshwantpur, where JD(S) poses a strong challenge.
Yet, state Congress president DK Shivakumar, with an eye on BBMP and Lok Sabha polls, is keen on inducting opposition MLAs. He is hoping to rattle BJP, especially in Bengaluru, in these elections.“BJP MLAs are upset with the saffron party,” said RDPR minister Priyank Kharge. “We have not yet decided how their services can be used, but we will welcome them if they want to join us.”Recently, several of Somashekar’s supporters joined Congress, indicating the Yeshwantpur MLA has already made up his mind. But Somashekar said: “Some supporters joined Congress as they are worried about their prospects in the upcoming BBMP polls. Some of them had worked against me in the recent assembly polls. Our party [BJP] leadership has promised to look into this, and some local leaders have been expelled. I will wait for a few more days before taking a final call."
Somashekar, who later was summoned to Delhi by BJP brass to discuss his concerns, said former chief minister BS Yediyurappa and former BJP national general secretary CT Ravi had also met him and promised to address his concerns.Meanwhile, Shivaram Hebbar said BJP has expelled 16 local functionaries after he complained that they had worked against him in the elections. “I am in discussions with senior party colleagues and will announce my decision soon,” Hebbar told .Former speaker Vishweswar Hegde Kageri met Hebbar recently and asked him not to take a hasty decision. “These MLAs have some genuine grievances, and the party is ready to address them. I hope no one leaves BJP,” said the former speaker.
As of now, there is agrim silence among these MLA's and they deny any such moves to join Congress. But it is certain, that many things are cooking in political circle in Karnataka.

(Dr Mysi Patil is the State Correspondent)