BJP rebel extends support to Congress in Karnataka

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rebel and the independent legislator from Hosakote in Kolar district, Sharath Bachegowda, has formally extended support to the Congress party in Karnataka amid unrest faced by the BS Yediyurappa government in the state.

Bengaluru: Sharath Bachegowda, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rebel and the independent legislator from Hosakote in Kolar district, formally extended support to the Congress party in Karnataka on Thursday, indicating a total shift away from his previous party, the BJP. Congress chose to highlight the development amid the direct political headwinds being faced by the BS Yediyurappa government in the state.

“I have decided to support the Congress for the development of Hoskote taluk and its people,” Sharath said on Thursday. As an independent, Sharath cannot formally join the Congress.

Sharath is the son of BN Bache Gowda, a senior BJP leader and the sitting member of parliament from Chikkaballapura, about 60 kms from Bengaluru. Sharath’s move is being seen by some as a setback for the ruling BJP, which seeks influence in the constituency for its long-term plans for the southern districts of Karnataka, where it has little political representation.

Sharath unsuccessfully contested the 2018 assembly elections on a BJP ticket in Hosakote against N Nagaraju (MTB) of the Congress. However, he later defeated him as an independent candidate by more than 11,000 votes in December 2019 by-polls, necessitated by Nagaraju’s defection to the BJP along with several other MLAs from the Congress and the Janata Dal(S) just after the Lok Sabha polls.

Sharath’s win was seen as a setback to the BJP, which hoped Nagaraju’s defection will help it expand its footprints in the Kolar district.