Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Upset Over Ticket Denial, BJP MP Sanganna Joins Congress

New Delhi: BJP MP from Karnataka's Koppal constituency, Karadi Sanganna on Thursday joined Congress at a programme held at the party's state headquarters here in the presence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Congress state president DK Shivakumar and other senior leaders. Sanganna was upset with the BJP's leadership after he was denied the ticket to contest from his constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha election. BJP has this time fielded Basavaraj S Kyavater from the constituency.

On Tuesday, he told reporters that he submitted his resignation letter to Speaker Om Birla and also resigned from the party's primary membership. Welcoming Sanganna into the Congress, Siddaramaiah said, "I told Sanganna about the achievements of our government. I also don't know why the BJP has not given the ticket to Sanganna Karadi."

The CM said that there is rampant factionalism in the Karnataka BJP. "Currently there are two groups in BJP, one led by BL Santosh and another led by BY Vijayendra. BS Yeddyurappa has denied the ticket to those who oppose Vijayendra in the BJP party," Siddaramaiah said.

He also said that the Congress would win all the seats in the coming general election. "Congress will win 20 seats in Karnataka in this Lok Sabha election. People have faith in the Congress party. It is the BJP which is lying to the people of this country. PM Modi has been lying since 2014. Modi said that he will put Rs 15 lakhs in the account. BJP is saying that they will win 400 seats. But this time NDA can win only 220 seats," he said.

Karnataka's 28 seats will be contested in the second and third phases on April 26 and May 7.