Bengaluru: Former BJP leader CP Yogeshwar on Wednesday joined the Congress party in the presence of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
In a press conference, Shivakumar said, "CP Yogeshwar visited me at 8 AM. He told me that my politics started from the Congress party. I will come again to the Congress party. I immediately made arrangements for him to meet the CM. I will bring CP Yogeshwar to the attention of our Congress high command leaders and join the Congress party. In the presence of everyone, CP Yogeshwar will join the Congress party today.
"I had to go to Wayanad. Priyanka Gandhi is registering her nomination today in Wayanad. But with all this development today, I will not be able to go to Wayanad", he added.
Earlier, CP Yogeshwar met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at his Cauvery residence, where Deputy CM Shivakumar and other Congress leaders were present.
Former MP DK Suresh, Minister BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan, Shivaraj Tangadagi, MLA Kadalur Uday Gowda, Ponnanna, and Yatindra Siddaramaiah also attended the meeting.
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Speaking to the media Yogeshwar said, "I thank DK Suresh for bringing me to the Congress party. I started my politics from Congress party. I left the Congress party and went to the BJP Party and now I have come back to the Congress party. I have joined the Congress party as my political development has become a problem after the BJP-JDS party united.
C P Yogeshwar is a five-time former MLA from Channapatna, the seat vacated by Union minister H D Kumaraswamy after he won the Lok Sabha polls. The JDS will be fielding a candidate from the seat on behalf of the NDA, which forced Yogeshwar to seek refuge in the Congress. Yogeshwar is now likely to be fielded as the Congress candidate.
"Candidates contesting Channapattnna by-elections will make nominations tomorrow. Congress candidate from Channapattanna will be nominated tomorrow at 11 am. I am sending two names to Congress High Command for Channapattana ticket. Let's see who the high command leaders will give ticket to," said Deputy CM DK Shivakumar.
The Channapattnna seat is seen as a big fight between the states' two most powerful Vokkaliga leaders, Deputy CM Dk Shivakumar and Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy.
—ANI