Erosion in K’taka BJP: as prominent leaders continue to meet DyCM Shivakumar
Bengaluru, Sept 6 : The woes of Karnataka’s former ruling BJP continued as Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Wednesday visited the residence of prominent party leader from central Karnataka and former MLA Poornima Srinivas.
Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, wife of late veteran BJP leader and Union Minister Ananth Kumar, had also met Shivakumar recently.
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s meet, Shivakumar, while answering questions on ‘Operation Hast’, maintained that “we won’t carry out any operation, we will carry out co-operation”.
Srinivas’s late father Krishnappa was a minister in the Congress government.
“Her father was our leader. We share a bondage. I have not discussed politics with her. I was invited to her residence against the backdrop of Krishna Janmashtami festival,” he maintained.
Srinivas maintained that she has the invitation to join the Congress.
“But, I am in the BJP and have not thought of quitting the party. This discussion has been there since Assembly elections. I have never talked about quitting the BJP,” she said.
“Even now I am not thinking of quitting the BJP. If at all I decide so, I will make an announcement and let everyone know about my decision,” she added.
Sources say that both Srinivas and Tejaswini Ananth Kumar are not happy with the treatment meted out to them in the party.
Tejaswini’s daughter had praised former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy to the much chagrin of the then BJP government.
Meanwhile, Congress leader and former CM Jagadish Shettar’s brother, BJP MLC Pradeep Shettar had openly stated that the circumstances are forcing the Lingayat community to move away from the BJP and most leaders from Lingayat community will move out of the party soon.
He maintained that former ministers Shankar Patil Munenakoppa, J.C. Madhuswamy, M.P. Renukacharya and former MLA S.I. Chikkanagoudar will quit the BJP soon.
