Bengaluru, 12 March

K Jayaprakash Hegde, who was until recently the Chairman of Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, and two former MLAs, BM Sukumar Shetty and MP Kumaraswamy, who were earlier with the BJP, on Tuesday joined the Congress party weeks before Lok Sabha polls.

Hegde -- a former MLA, MP and Minister -- as the Chairman of the Commission for Backward Classes, submitted the much awaited Socio-Economic and Education Survey report, popularly known as the "caste census", to the government on 29 February. He is likely to be the Congress candidate from Udupi-Chikkamagaluru Lok Sabha constituency, according to party sources.

Hegde was earlier with the BJP, and during the tenure of the previous BJP government he was appointed as the Chairman of the Commission. He had earlier unsuccessfully contested from the Udupi-Chikkamagaluru seat in 2009 and 2014 on a Congress ticket. He had won the seat in 2012 by-poll for Congress, after BJP's DV Sadananda Gowda vacated it to become the chief minister. Hegde, a noted political figure, had previously represented the Brahmavar Assembly constituency, twice and independent and once from erstwhile Janata Dal. He served as the minister of ports and fisheries in the then Janata Dal government and played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Udupi district, carved out of Dakshina Kannada

Former BJP MLAs -- B M Sukumar Shetty, who represented Byndoor Assembly Constituency in 2018, and Kumaraswamy, who represented Mudigere Assembly segment thrice joined the party along with their supporters in the presence of State Congress President and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara, Energy Minister KJ George and several leaders.

Addressing Congress workers and leaders after joining the party, Hegde, Shetty and Kumaraswamy said, they will work for the success of the grand old party in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls and take the works of the ruling government in Karnataka to the people.

Shivakumar, welcoming them into the party, said, Congress was strong and this has forced BJP and JD(S) to come together. He said, "BJP is saying that they will win over 370 seats in the Lok Sabha polls (nationally). If they are so confident, why are they inducting Congress and other opposition party leaders in a number of states? If their party is strong, why do they want people from other parties," he asked.

Further stating that the BJP candidates list for Karnataka is likely to be announced in a couple of days, he said, "according to my information, they are replacing sitting MPs with new candidates in at least 10 seats, it is because there is anti-incumbency against them, as they did not respond to the concerns of the people. Knowing that 10 of them will lose, they are changing the candidates."