New Delhi: Three Former Karnataka MPs from BJP Join Congress
Samay Live
New Delhi, Jan 21: With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, the Congress today got a shot in the arm with three former BJP MPs from Karnataka joining the party.
The three new high profile entrants to the party are K T Sangliana, former MP from Bangalore (North); Manorama Madhwaraj, former MP from Udupi and Manjunath Kunnur, the former MP from South Dharwad.
K T Sangliana, Manorama Madhvaraj, Kunnur Manjunath
Addressing a hurriedly called press conference, AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka Prithviraj Chavan said the the former MPs have pledged unflinching support to the Congress party.
While two of the MPs who joined the party had defied the BJP whip and voted for the UPA government in the July 22 trust vote, Madhavraj had abstained from voting.
Asked whether the three leaders will be given Congress tickets for the next Lok Sabha elections, Chavan said, "When the process starts, we will decide about it. We will use the best talent." To a query as to what was the guarantee of the three not going back to the BJP, Chavan said, "...They have faith in the Congress party." The three who deserted the saffron party also met party President Sonia Gandhi before making the announcement at the AICC headquarters.
Asked about the statement of AICC media department chief M Veerappa Moily that the "migratory birds" are not welcome in the party, Chavan said, "they are old friends of the Congress. They are welcome."