BJP lures former Cong corporators

As Congress mulled to field former chief minister S M Krishna to contest against BJP general secretary H N Ananthakumar in Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, the saffron party today “lured” seven former Congress corporators from the constituency to strenghten its base.

Anantkumar will be bidding for the fifth successive win from Bangalore South, a non-Congress bastion since the late 1970s, in next month’s polls.

“We want to win Bangalore South.Hence, we are strengthening the party”, said Karnataka transport minister R Ashok and information minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, who are among key ministers behind the “Operation Lotus”, a BJP game plan launched ever since it came to power to widen its base by wooing leaders from other parties.

“This is only the first phase. Several more from the opposition ranks will walk into BJP”, the two leaders claimed along with minister for rural development Shobha Karandlaje who welcomed the new entrants. Former corporators who joined BJP are: Ravindra,

B T Srinivasamurthy, Keshavamurthy, Shivappa, Venkataswamy, Mohan and Bharati Shivaram. Some JDS local leaders also joined the party on the occasion.

“BJP will spring a surprise winning Bangalore Rural seat”, Naidu said. BJP is trying to win over Congress MLA, C P Yogeshwar, a cine-actor-turned politician,to contest against JD(S) state unit president H D Kumaraswamy, son of former Prime Minister H D Devegowda, who is expected to be fielded from there.