Bengaluru, Mar 5: Businessman and Bidar South MLA Ashok Kheni on Monday joined the Congress party despite
severe opposition from within the party.
He joined Congress in the presence of KPCC
President G Parameshwara and Party Campaign Committee Chairman D K
Shivakumar along with former legislator R L Naik.
Earlier, Mr Kheni had consultation with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday and after he was assured a ticket in the upcoming polls, he agreed to join the party, sources said.
However, his entry into Congress was opposed by several Congress leaders including legislators. Ths included Former Chief Minister Late Dharam Singh’s son Vijay Singh besides MLAs from the city H T Somashekar and Muniratna.
In 2013, Ashok Kheni contested the elections from his newly floated Karnataka Makkala Paksha and defeated Bandeppa Kashempur of JDS by 15,788 votes. Mr Kheni also announced the merger of his party with Congress.
Mr Kheni is one of the founding members of controversial Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) which has built a peripheral road around Bengaluru which has remained incomplete for nearly two decades due to a section of farmers refusing to hand over land for the project. For the same reason the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway promoted by his company has also been stalled.
NICE has been facing several cases for alleged breaching of contract with the State government while the company has also filed several cases against the State government in the execution of the project.
Replying to questions from reporters, Dr Parameshwara, however, said there was nothing wrong in party admitting Mr Kheni and the party had nothing to do with it.
Mr Shivakumar said it was not the question of Mr Kheni but a merger of Karnataka Makkala Paksha with Congress. However, it is well known that this party is nothing but a one-man party floated before 2013 Assembly Elections. UNI
Earlier, Mr Kheni had consultation with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday and after he was assured a ticket in the upcoming polls, he agreed to join the party, sources said.
However, his entry into Congress was opposed by several Congress leaders including legislators. Ths included Former Chief Minister Late Dharam Singh’s son Vijay Singh besides MLAs from the city H T Somashekar and Muniratna.
In 2013, Ashok Kheni contested the elections from his newly floated Karnataka Makkala Paksha and defeated Bandeppa Kashempur of JDS by 15,788 votes. Mr Kheni also announced the merger of his party with Congress.
Mr Kheni is one of the founding members of controversial Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) which has built a peripheral road around Bengaluru which has remained incomplete for nearly two decades due to a section of farmers refusing to hand over land for the project. For the same reason the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway promoted by his company has also been stalled.
NICE has been facing several cases for alleged breaching of contract with the State government while the company has also filed several cases against the State government in the execution of the project.
Replying to questions from reporters, Dr Parameshwara, however, said there was nothing wrong in party admitting Mr Kheni and the party had nothing to do with it.
Mr Shivakumar said it was not the question of Mr Kheni but a merger of Karnataka Makkala Paksha with Congress. However, it is well known that this party is nothing but a one-man party floated before 2013 Assembly Elections. UNI
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