BJP MLC Puttanna joins Congress

Bengaluru

In a major setback to the ruling BJP, four-time MLC Puttanna on Thursday quit the party and joined the Congress.

Mr. Puttanna, who won from Bangalore Teachers’ constituency in November 2020, has more than three years left to complete the term as an MLC.

He joined the Congress in the presence of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president D.K. Shivakumar, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah, and AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala.

Mr. Puttanna said the BJP government had not solved the problems of teachers in the State. He resigned from the membership of the Legislative Council and submitted resignation to the BJP. He had served as the Deputy Chairman of the Council.

The Congress is expected to field Mr. Puttanna from one of the constituencies in Bengaluru. He was elected to the Council from the teachers’ constituency comprising Bengaluru Rural and Ramanagara districts. Sources said the party was expected to field him either from Rajajinagar or Yeshwantpur constituency in Bengaluru.

“Suffocated & stifled by the #40PercentSarkara & its anti-youth, anti-teacher policies, Sh Puttanna, BJP MLC, today resigned as MLC & from BJP membership. He has 4 years tenure as MLC remaining. We at @INCKarnataka commend his bold and courageous move. BJP’s reverse count is on,” Mr. Surjewala tweeted.