H.R. Gaviappa, former MLA for Hosapete (now Vijayanagara) is expected to quit BJP and join Congress in the presence of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru on Friday.
Over 200 vehicles carrying his supporters from the Vijayanagara constituency are expected to leave for Bengaluru to take part in their leader’s homecoming.
Mr. Gaviappa was denied Congress ticket for Vijayanagara constituency in the 2018 Assembly elections as Mr. Anand Singh had just joined the party to contest the election from the same constituency. He fought on BJP ticket and lost to Mr. Singh who was the Congress candidate with a margin of 8,228 votes.
When Mr. Singh defected to BJP in a gap of a year after winning the election, the saffron party preferred him over Mr. Gaviappa and fielded him as its candidate in the byelection. Apparently upset, Mr. Gaviappa did not contest that election. He continued to maintain a distance from the party and finally decided to return to Congress fold.
With his re-entry into its fold, the Congress found a competent candidate against Mr. Singh in Vijayanagara constituency.
