Sharat Bache Gowda, independent MLA from Hoskote constituency in Bengaluru Rural district, has announced his outside support to the Congress. He is going to be an associate member of the Congress in the Legislative Assembly.
The MLA, son of former Minister and BJP MP B.N. Bache Gowda, gave a letter to Congress Legislature Party Leader Siddaramaiah, in the presence of KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council S.R. Patil and other party leaders on Thursday.
Since Mr. Sharat Bache Gowda is an independent MLA he cannot join the Congress. However, he can extend support to the party. But his supporters can join the Congress, Mr .Shivakumar said.
Mr. Shivakumar extended the party’s support to the Independent MLA in his constituency.
Mr. Sharat Bache Gowda had met Randeep Singh Surjewala, AICC general secretary in charge of Karnataka, last week in Bengaluru and expressed his desire to support the Congress.
Mr. Sharat Bache Gowda won the by-elections against N. Nagaraju (MTB) in Hoskote constituency in 2019. He had contested on the BJP ticket in the 2018 Assembly elections but lost to Mr. Nagaraju.
Mr. Nagaraju quit the Congress and later contested bypolls on the BJP ticket. After the defeat in byelections, Mr. Nagaraju became MLC and was inducted into the Cabinet by Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.