From Our Special Correspondent

Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Apr 24: On a day the open public campaigning for the 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka ends and the silent period until the polling on Friday is set to begin, the ruling Congress party got a big shot in the arm with a prominent backward class leader K P Nanjundi, who quit his MLC seat and resigned from BJP on Tuesday, joined the party along with his followers in the KPCC office on Wednesday.

“BJP leader K P Nanjundi, who belongs to the Backward Class community of Vishwakarma, has joined the Congress party unconditionally. It is a homecoming for KP Nanjundi as he was earlier in the Congress party. He is considered as the most popular Backward Class community leader, perhaps next only to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,” said KPCC Chief D K Shivakumar while welcoming the leader into the party fold.

Shivakumar said the joining of KP Nanjundi sends a very strong message to the voters of Bengaluru Rural and other constituencies as Nanjundi is known for his organisational skills and is very popular among the people.

The KPCC Chief said he had been trying to convince KP Nanjundi to return to the Congress party and even AICC Chief Mallikarjuna Kharge said his rejoining the party would give a big boost.

“The Vishwakarma community is known for its work as goldsmiths. KP Nanjundi had told me that when Narendra Modi become Prime Minister in 2014, the prices of gold was around Rs 2,800 per gram and it has now shot up to Rs 7,500 per gram and still going up. The life of goldsmiths is very pitiable as the community does not get to work,” Shivakumar said.

Shivakumar said the former BJP MLC KP Nanjundi had called on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi in Bengaluru on Wednesday morning before she flew to Kerala for electioneering.

He said KP Nanjundi had told Priyanka Gandhi about the suffering of lakhs of depositors of Guru Raghavendra Cooperative Bank. Over 3 lakh depositors have lost their life’s earnings and over 200 persons have committed suicide. KP Nanjundi had fought for the cause of the helpless depositors when he was in BJP, which had promised to entrust the investigation to CBI. But the BJP, which ruled the State and in power in delhi for 10 years did nothing.

“The investigation must be entrusted to CBI as big and influential bJP leaders are involved. The BJP has broken its promises and the Congress party has promised to hand over the case to CBI,” Nanjundi said.

Nanjundi said the Priyanka Gandhi has assured him to ensure that the Congress government takes action and protects the interests of the depositors.

Shivakumar, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister, said the Congress leader has advised him to pursue the case after the elections and the government will ensure justice.

Nanjundi mentioned that he was in the Congress party for 15 years and had joined the BJP due to personal reasons. “I am disappointed as I don’t have any freedom, which I enjoyed when I was in Congress. BJP made me MLC and sidelined me. My objective was to serve my community and the people and not remain as an MLC. So I have returned to Congress.

AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala and other leaders welcomed KP Nanjundi into the party.