Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore (SP)

Bangalore, Apr 2: Congress leaders C P Yogeshwar, ex-MLA, ex minister K H Srinivas and Chidradurga district Congress ex-president R Manjunath deserted their parent party and crossed over to the BJP on Wednesday April 1.

These leaders along with their supporters came into the BJP fold at the BJP Electioneering office here, in the presence of the party national vice-president Venkaiah Naidu, national general secretary Anant Kumar and state president D V Sadanand Gowda. Yogeshwar is being fielded by the BJP as its Lok Sabha candidate from Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha constituency and is scheduled to file nomination on Thursday April 2.

Although D B Chandre Gowda, veteran Congress leader, has expressed his reluctance to enter the election fray, the BJP is understood to have been continuing with its efforts to woo him to its side. It wants to field him from Bangalore North constituency. Chief minister Yeddyurappa and state president Sadanand Gowda held a round of discussions with Gowda on Wednesday too.

The BJP wants to use the services of K H Srinivas to campaign for BJP candidate Raghavendra, as Shimoga is the home district of this ex-Congressman. Srinivas has announced that he would start campaigning for Raghavendra from immediate effect.

Sources say, the BJP is trying also to get M R Seetaram, ex-MLA, who is disappointed after the Congress chose not to issue him a Lok Sabha ticket from Chickballapur, into its ranks. BJP, it is learnt, has promised to field him from Chickballapur, if he crosses over. Seetaram was confident of getting a ticket and had undertaken a round of campaigning in anticipation, but was thoroughly disappointed after the Congress selected Veerappa Moily as its candidate from Chickballapur.