BJP MLC Ayanur quits party, may join Congress

Shyam Sundar Vattam I NT

Bengaluru: Another BJP wicket fell on Monday with a senior member of the State Legislative Council from Shivamogga, Ayanur Manjunath tendering his resignation from the primary membership of the party.

He is also slated to resign from the Council membership tomorrow by meeting the chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti. Two MLCs from the ruling BJP, Baburao Chinchansur and A.H. Vishwanath have already said goodbye to the saffron party, and Ayanur Manjunath is now all set to quit the BJP.

Like the other two, he is also likely to join the Congress Party. He may also be given the ticket to contest from the Shivamogga City seat. Announcing this at a news conference here on Monday, Manjunath said he was disgusted with the communal and hate politics being pursued by sitting Shivamogga MLA K.S.Eshwarappa.

The shadow boxing had been going on between them for the last few months ever since Eshwarappa made certain comments on the Muslim prayer. Ayanur countered this strongly and put up posters and banners across Shivamogga City slamming Eshwarappa for his derogatory remarks against the minority community