Bengaluru: Former Congress Minister and KPCC  Working President Satish Jarkiholi has dropped a bombshell by claiming that about 40 MLAs from the ruling BJP are set to join the Congress.

Speaking to presspersons at his native village Karaguppi in Hukkeri taluk of Belagavi district on Sunday, Satish Jarkiholi maintained that discussions were going on in Congress in this regard.

Contending that 40 BJP MLAs, who were willing to join Congress, are in touch with KPCC President D.K. Shivakumar (DKS), Satish, however, said that he was not sure on how many of the BJP MLAs, who have expressed their desire to join the Congress, may actually join the party.

Talks on at KPCC level : Another KPCC Working President and former MP R. Dhruvanarayan too confirmed Satish Jarkiholi’s claims saying that discussions were going on in the Congress on admitting BJP MLAs into the partyfold.

Dhruvanarayan told Star of Mysore that many MLAs from the BJP and JD(S) were willing to change sides ahead of the next Assembly polls that is due in 18 months.

Claiming that these Legislators were in touch with top Congress leaders of the State, he said that at present talks are on at the KPCC level and the matter has not yet been brought to the notice of the AICC.

Maintaining that the names and number of MLAs cannot be disclosed right now, Dhruvanarayan maintained that KPCC President Shivakumar will study the pros and cons before taking any decision on admitting them to the Congress.

DKS dares Kateel

Meanwhile, the KPCC President stated that he has never said anywhere that any BJP legislator would join the Congress. But still he cannot understand why the BJP is apprehensive of him, he said and challenged BJP State President Nalin Kumar Kateel to release the list of Congress MLAs who were willing to join the BJP. Asserting that the Congress was not making any attempts to poach BJP legislators, Shivakumar claimed that he too was ready to disclose the list of BJP legislators who were eager to join the Congress if Kateel dared to release the list of Congress MLAs who were willing to switch over to the BJP.