Mysuru: BJP State Vice-President K.P. Nanjundi was accorded a rousing reception at the party office in Ittigegudu here this morning.

The supporters and party workers burst crackers to welcome Nanjundi who was visiting Mysuru for the first time after he took over as the Vice-President of the party. He is the Karnataka Vishwakarama Samaja President, who quit the Congress Party last month.

Addressing the workers, Nanjundi said, “I was in the Congress party for 16 years and gave my all to the party without expecting any position or reward. The Vishwarkarma Samaja has done so much to the society but Chief Minister Siddharamaiah continued to ignore me.”

Criticising Siddharamaiah, he said that there are 45 lakh Vishwakarma community people in the State and the Chief Minister, who had been in the Congress and claimed to be the champion of Backward Classes, had sidelined the community. “This is nothing but the betrayal of our community,” he charged.

Nanjundi asserted that he had joined the BJP after State President B.S. Yeddyurappa invited him to join the party and he had done it without laying down any condition.

BJP District Rural President M. Shivanna, District General Secretaries Marballi Murthy and Boregowda, former MUDA Chairman L. Nagendra, Vistarak Gopal Rao and others were present.