Bengaluru, Apr 18 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday, reacting to some BJP leaders' decision to switch to the Congress, said the grand old party is a sinking ship, and "had they stayed with the saffron party, would have reached the shore".

Bommai said this while referring to the exit of former chief minister Jagadish Shettar and ex-deputy chief minister Laxman Savadi.

Both the former BJP leaders would be contesting the May 10 Karnataka Assembly polls on Congress ticket.

Addressing a public meeting in Bagalkot after holding a roadshow in support of the BJP candidate and cabinet minister Govind Karjol, he said the people's response towards the BJP has been tremendous.

The chief minister said the Congress leaders made promises on the Krishna River issue but did nothing.

"They cheated the people of the northern Karnataka region. Differentiation was done in the payment of compensation to those who lost land. Govind Karjol had to come as Water Resources Minister to pay the compensation to farmers.

"The Cabinet Sub-Committee constituted by him had resolved to pay equal compensation to everyone and something had been followed. The development of Mudhol taluk has been taken up through the implementation of lift irrigation schemes," Bommai said.