BJP MP’s son and independent MLA Sharath Bachegowda to join Congress in February

Amid speculation that he is joining the party on February 26, Sharath told PTI, “There is no date fixed as such but sometime in February I will join the legislative party of the Congress.”

Sharath’s entry to the Congress had been on the cards for quite some time but it is now that he has confirmed his next political move.

Sharath had rebelled against his party BJP and successfully contested the Hoskote assembly byelection in December 2019 defeating BJP’s M T B Nagaraj.

Nagaraj, a BJP MLC and minister, was among the rebel Congress MLAs who had resigned from the assembly in 2019 bringing down the Congress-JDS coalition government.

He joined the BJP later but was defeated in the bypolls.

There were accusations that Bache Gowda helped his son indirectly to win the election but he refuted the charges.

Sharath said he has not informed his father formally about his decision to join Congress.

“Since everything is in the public domain, I did not inform him yet. He must be aware of it,” he added.

To a question whether Bache Gowda approved his decision, Sharath said he had to think of his political career.

According to BJP sources, Sharath had tried to make an entry into the BJP but Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and the state BJP leadership did not approve it as they were extremely upset with him for rebelling against the party and defeating their candidate.

The Congress’ strength will go up to 68 from the existing 67 in the Karnataka Assembly when Sharath joins the party. PTI