Karnataka: Independent MLA supports BJP in morning, joins Congress camp in evening

BENGALURU: The BJP faced a huge embarrassment when one of the two Independents, R Shankar, who was present at the party meeting in the morning to elect BS Yeddyurappa as the leader, showed up in Congress camp on Wednesday evening.

Early in the day, Yeddyurappa had informed reporters that Shankar had joined the party. By evening, Shankar had shifted loyalty. The two Independent MLAs have now extended support to Congress, taking the party’s strength from 78 to 80.

Shankar, who defeated outgoing speaker KB Koliwad in Ranebennur, is a staunch follower of outgoing chief minister Siddaramaiah. Like him, he belongs to the Kuruba caste. After he failed to get a ticket from Congress, Shankar was made an offer by BJP, but he chose to contest as a candidate from Karnataka Pragnyavantha Janatha Party.


The other Independent, H Nagesh from Mulbagal in Kolar district, was brought to Bengaluru by Congress state campaign committee chairman DK Shivakumar. Nagesh, won from Mulbagal with the support of the Congress.

A close follower of Shivakumar, Nagesh became the party’s candidate by accident. During scrutiny, the returning officer rejected the nomination papers of the official candidate Kothur Manjunath because he had been issued a high court order for producing a false caste certificate.