Bengaluru: Upset over being denied the party ticket to contest from Sagar Constituency in Shivamogga district, former BJP Minister Haratalu Halappa is likely to quit the BJP and join the Congress.

Haratalu Halappa, who was a Minister in the previous BJP Government, had to quit the post after he was accused of allegedly raping a woman.

But a Shivamogga Court acquitted him of rape charges recently following which Halappa, a backward class leader, was keen on contesting from  Sagar. But the BJP allotted the ticket to Belur Gopalakrishna, much to the disappointment of Halappa.

Halappa, who won from Soraba in 2008 to become a Minister in the BJP Government, had left the seat for Kumar Bangarappa and was eyeing the Sagar ticket.

But now that he is certain that he will not be getting the BJP ticket from Sagar, Halappa is said to be in talks with Congress leaders and is likely to join the party in a couple of days, after getting a green signal from the Congress high command,  it is learnt.