Bangarappa joins BJP

In its drive to induct new faces, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) paraded former Karnataka Chief Minister and expelled Congress leader S Bangarappa as its new catch.

Bangarappa joined the party in presence of BJP chief M Venkaiah Naidu and Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley. Earlier Bangarappa called on Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and expressed his desire to work for the BJP.

Soon after joining the BJP, Bangarappa said, "The Congress is not in a position to serve the nation."

According to indications, Bangarappa may contest the Lok Sabha elections from Shimoga, the constituency he represented in the 11th and 13th Lok Sabha.

This makes it clear that while Bangarappa will play a role at the central level, state BJP chief Ananth Kumar will continue to be projected as the party's face in the Assembly elections.Kumar was instrumental in the induction of Bangarappa in the party.

Welcoming Bangarappa, who was expelled along with his son Kumar Bangarappa by the Congress yesterday, Naidu said former ministers and legislators were joining the BJP in a big way and this would enable the party to increase its tally in the Assembly as well as the Lok Sabha from Karnataka.

Seeking to down play the exit of Bangarappa from the Congress, Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna today asserted in Bangalore that the party had "weathered many storms" and it would secure a "working majority" in the Assembly elections.

Krishna also ridiculed the claim of Bangarappa that he would decimate the Congress, saying, "one person cannot wipe out the Congress. If somebody thinks he is as big as that, history has shown how small one can be also".

Asked if the Congress was "worried" over the desertions, he shot back, "certainly not". "We are strong and getting stronger among ourselves".

To a query, he admitted that it was a "mistake" on the part of the party to have taken back Bangarappa, who had left the party for the third time in the latest instance. "But it is a sterling quality in the Congress to excuse. We will not repeat the same mistake".