Senior BJP leader, former MLA join Congress

Davanagere: In a significant political development in Davangere, senior BJP leader and former MLA of Jagaluru district, R.S.S. leader T. Gurusiddana Gowda, has switched allegiance to the Congress party. Gowda’s move comes after facing neglect from the BJP leadership, especially after he was sidelined during the Lok Sabha elections.

Gowda’s decision to join the Congress was also influenced by the expulsion from the party after he found guilty of campaigning against party candidate S.V. Ramachandra, a defeated BJP candidate in the assembly constituency, . The neglect from the BJP became even more evident after B.Y. Vijayendra took charge as the BJP state president.

Accompanying Gowda in this political transition are several BJP leaders and supporters, including T.G. Ravikumar, Gowda’s son and district BJP medical wing chief , T.G. Arvind, TG Praveen, Kakkargolada Kallingappa, Nagaraja Swamy, Mattikallu Veerabhadraswamy, Shivanna of Gauripur, and others.

The induction of Gowda and his supporters into the Congress fold was marked by an event where Davangere district in-charge minister S.S. Mallikarjun and sitting Jagaluru Congress MLA Devendrappa were present. Speaking to the media, Minister Mallikarjun expressed his confidence in the new members, stating, “With Gurusiddanagoudru and his supporters joining the Congress party, we feel empowered. We will move forward under his guidance.”

T.G. Ravikumar, Gowda’s son, highlighted the reasons behind their departure from the BJP, citing the party’s dictatorial attitude and the lack of response from the High Command to their requests. He also mentioned their dissatisfaction with MP G.M. Siddeshwar’s monopoly within the party.

Ravikumar further praised Davangere district’s administration under Mallikarjuna, suggesting that his wife, who is educated, would be an ideal representative for the Lok Sabha, benefiting the constituency. The political shift is expected to bring about significant changes in Davangere’s political landscape, with Gowda and his supporters now aligning with the Congress party.