BJP, JD(S) workers from Somashekar’s constituency join Cong

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Speculation surrounding Operation Hasta – Congress attempts to poach lawmakers from Opposition parties BJP and JD(S) – continued to gain traction as scores of workers from Yesvantpur Assembly constituency joined the ruling party.

Notably, the MLA from Yesvantpur is BJP’s ST Somashekar, a former Congressman who had gone over to the saffron party back in July 2019, toppling the HD Kumaraswamy-led coalition government.

Somashekar went on to retain his seat in the by-poll and become the Co-operation Minister under the BJP government.

However, he was caught up in a civil war of sorts as party loyalists tried to sabotage the turncoats who came over from Congress and JD(S) at the ballot.

This annoyed Somashekar, who went public with the row. He has made it clear that he won’t leave BJP but has called for action against the saboteurs.

Interestingly, S omashekhar took Yesvantpur constituency with him to the BJP finishing with more than 47 per cent of the vote share in the May 10 polls despite attempts at sabotage.

JD(S) finished in second place and Congress third. The Grand Old Party is hoping inducting JD(S) and BJP workers will strengthen them in the segment.