Bangarappa to quit Cong, again

Bangarappa had been camping in the capital most of last week trying to meet senior party leaders for an Assembly ticket so he can be chief minister again. He reportedly wanted to overrule the state unit’s recommendation of his name for the Shimoga Lok Sabha seat. His son, Kumar Bangarappa, is the sitting MLA from the Assembly segment, Shorab, of the Shimoga constituency, and his name has again been recommended for the seat.

Bangarappa apparently also recommended the names of 50 of his supporters for as many seats which was denied by the party leadership.

‘‘It is certain that I have decided to leave Congress…I have met several NDA leaders and JD(U) leaders too. But it was a friendly meeting and no party matters were discussed with them,’’ Bangarappa said. On meeting former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Bangarappa said: ‘‘I have spoken on several subjects with him. But joining JD(S) was not discussed at all.’’

The former CM praised Vajpayee for his ‘‘achievement and performance as PM’’ but kept the question of his joining the BJP hanging. ‘‘During his regime, terrorism has been controlled and curbed to a large extent. The ISI activities have been weakened across the country and almost stopped. The road and rail traffic has been improved between India and Pakistan,’’ he added.

‘‘I will not say anything now. It will be decided only after meeting with supporters at Shimoga. I am not a sanyasi. I too have a desire for power may be in the state or at the Centre…I have respect for Sonia Gandhi as wife of late Rajiv Gandhi who made me CM.’’

Since 1992, when he was replaced as CM, Bangarappa is keen on getting back. He had left the party in 1983 to form the Karnataka Kranti Ranga.