From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Mar 27: In a major coup against Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, KPCC chief D K Shivakumar managed to wean away Manjunath Kunnur, senior BJP leader and close confident of Bommai from his home district of Haveri along with his son Raju Kunnur, KR Pet JD(S) leader Devaraj, Shivamogga BJP leader Arun and other prominent JD(S) leader Sudhakar and others from Chintamani with their supporters and were accorded warm welcome.

As if to indicate the political significance of the joining of leaders from BJP and JD(S) into the Congress party, former chief minister Siddaramaiah, senior party leader K Rehman Khan, KPCC Working President Saleem Ahmed, former ministers Cheluvarayaswamy, Priyank Kharge and Narendra Swamy were present at the KPCC office to welcome the new entrants.

Obviously elated by the defection of Bommai’s right-hand man and prominent BJP leader from his assembly constituency of Shiggaon in Haveri district, the KPCC Chief said a prominent leader and ex-MP of the stature of Manjunath Kunnur quitting BJP and joining Congress party is proof of the declining popularity of Bommai and the pitiable condition of BJP.

“If the Chief Minister loses confidence and trust of his own close confidant, how can the people trust him? Manjunath Kunnur is a former MP and three-time MLA. He along with his son and supporters as well as leaders from other districts are joining the party unconditionally,” Shivakumar said.

The KPCC chief said his young friend Sudhakar from Chintamani had met him several times expressing his desire to join the Congress. He announced that Sudhakar will be fielded as a Congress candidate from Chintamani and urged all partymen to work unitedly for his victory.