Prominent BJP Leader and Former Minister Malikayya Guttedar Joins Congress

Former BJP leader Malikayya Guttedar joined Congress after being upset with his brother's induction into BJP. He finished third in the 2023 Assembly election and has been critical of BJP leaders. Congress welcomed him, claiming more BJP leaders are willing to join. Kalaburagi is Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge's home district.

Former Minister and BJP leader Malikayya Guttedar on Friday joined the Congress.

The six-time MLA from Afzalpur in Kalaburagi district has been upset with the induction of his brother Nithin Guttedar into the BJP. M Y Patil from Congress had won the seat in the 2023 Assembly election, in which Malikayya Guttedar had finished third behind Nithin, who contested as an independent.

The 67-year-old Malikayya Guttedar had been criticising BJP veteran and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa and his son B Y Vijayendra who is BJP state president after his brother's move.

Welcoming Malikayya Guttedar into the party fold, Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress chief D K Shivakumar claimed that many BJP leaders are willing to join the ruling outfit in the State.

Kalaburagi is the home district of Congress President M Mallikarjun Kharge, who had won from the seat in the 2009 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections but lost in the 2019 polls.

Kharge's son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is contesting from Kalaburagi (Gulbarga) in the coming general elections.

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