The board outside the BJP’s Maddur taluk unit office was recently replaced with a banner declaring it as the Congress office.

Mandya

29 April 2018 00:29 IST

Many of S.M. Krishna’s followers, relatives rejoin Congress

In a curious turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party office in Maddur taluk — home town of the former Chief Minister S.M. Krishna — has more or less transformed itself into the Congress office. In fact, many relatives and staunch supporters of Mr. Krishna quit the BJP on Saturday to rejoin the Congress.

According to his supporters, Mr. Krishna, however, has no plans to return to the Congress. Mr. Krishna joined the BJP in March 2017.

"BJP didn't use his services"

The BJP’s “failure to utilise Mr. Krishna’s vast political experience” prompted his followers to rejoin the Congress, said T.S. Sathyananda, one of his supporters and a member of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee. Prominent among those who have rejoined the Congress is Mr. Krishna’s nephew S. Gurucharan. Many taluk panchayat members too joined him in the exodus.

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“We are launching campaign for Congress candidates across Mandya district from Sunday from Somanahalli, Mr. Krishna’s village,” said Mr. Sathyananda. He said Mr. Krishna was informed about his relatives quitting the BJP.

Earlier this week, Maddur BJP unit’s president Lakshman joined the Congress along with his supporters. Subsequently, the board outside the party’s office was changed and pictures of top leaders were removed, to turn it into a Congress office. “Adjustment politics” of the State BJP leaders to help the JD(S) candidate promoted them to quit, said sources close to Mr. Lakshman.

Following the development, BJP candidate for Maddur Satish has opened the party office at Leelavathi Layout in the town.