BJP MLAs keen to join Congress, says Siddaramaiah

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Mysuru, Dec 9 2017 (DHNS): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Saturday, said that a few BJP MLAs are willing to join the Congress party. However, the CM denied to name the MLAs.

Speaking to reporters, near his residence in the city, Siddaramaiah said, the BJP MLAs have shown interest to join the Congress party and they are in touch with him. "We will decide whether to take them into the party or not, only after analysing their popularity in their respective constituencies," the CM said.

When asked about BJP’s Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti, who has reportedly abused BJP leaders on Friday, the CM said, "Katti is a good friend and he never told me that he would join the Congress party."

In reply to Union Minister D V Sadananda Gowda’s statements that Siddaramaiah feared losing in Varuna constituency, Siddaramaiah asked, what is the relationship between Varuna constituency and Sadananda Gowda? "Does he know the mindset of the voters there? If he has that confidence, let him contest from the constituency," he challenged.

Sadananda Gowda is BJP’s in-charge for Varuna Assembly constituency.

The Union Statistics and Programme Implementation minister, on Friday, had said that Siddaramaiah is planning to shift from Varuna to Chamundeshwari Assembly segment as his chances of winning in Varuna are bleak.

To a query on the arrest of Ravi Belagere, a tabloid editor, Siddaramaiah said, he has no much information about the case. The police will act as per the evidences available, the CM said.