Cong veteran Kagodu Thimmappa’s daughter Rajanandini joins BJP

In yet another setback to Congress, party veteran Kagodu Thimmappa's daughter, Dr. Rajanandini, joined the BJP in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

Reportedly, she was upset with Congress leader Siddaramaiah, Karnataka Congress president D K Shivakumar and party national chief Mallikarjun Kharge for ignoring her claims to Sagara Assembly seat earlier held by her father.

"I expected that Congress would recognise me and give me a ticket, but I didn't get the opportunity. BJP warmly welcomed me and I will work for the party. I am a worker, I can work anywhere," said Dr Rajanandini after joining BJP.

Responding to the development, former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said "I heard this news now. I never expected that she will do like this. It's unfortunate. There must be something behind this. It could be BJP leader Hartalu Halappa's tactics. I will try to speak to her. I will always stand in favour of Congress, I will work for Congress party."

Ahead of assembly elections, both parties, the incumbent BJP and the opposition Congress, faced a setback as several party members defected.

Earlier in April, Anil Antony, son of former defence minister and Congress veteran AK Antony, joined the BJP in the presence of Union minister Piyush Goyal.

''This is not about personalities, this is about difference of opinion and ideas. I strongly believe that I have taken the right step. My respect for my father will remain the same,'' Anil Antony said when asked whether he had consulted his father before joining the BJP.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy also Reddy joined the saffron party in the presence of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi and other prominent party leaders at the party headquarters in New Delhi. Speaking on the occasion, Joshi said that Reddy's clean image would help BJP in Andhra Pradesh.