In a big jolt to the BJP in Gadag district, Srishailappa Bidarur, former MLA, has joined the Congress.
Mr. Bidarur was welcomed into the Congress by H.K. Patil, president of the KPCC campaign committee and incumbent Gadag MLA, and D.R. Patil, his brother and Congress candidate for the Haveri Lok Sabha segment, at a function in Gadag on Thursday.
Mr. Bidarur had recently met former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in Bengaluru and had evinced interest in joining the Congress.
Subsequently, Mr. H.K. Patil held talks with him. On Thursday, Mr. Bidarur was accompanied by around 30 of his followers.
Mr. H.K. Patil said that his inclusion had further strengthened the party in the region.
Elaborating on the circumstances that led to his quitting the BJP, Mr. Bidarur said that he was fed up with the suffocating atmosphere in the BJP.
Mr. Bidarur was upset with BJP ever since he was denied party ticket for the 2018 Assembly elections and since then had maintained a distance from the party.