Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar has denied allegations that his wife Veena Kashappanavar is considering joining the BJP.
“Veena Kashappanavar is not leaving the Congress. The Congress is like father and mother to us. Neither I nor she will join any party other than the Congress. We have been committed Congress workers since our father’s time,” he told reporters in Hungund on Friday.
Veena Kashappanavar, who hails from Hungund in Bagalkot district, is serving as Congress State women’s wing vice-president. She is upset that she has been denied ticket. The Congress high command chose Samyukta Patil, daughter of Minister Shivanand Patil, instead.
Samyukta Patil is a Vijayapura-based advocate and a director of Bijapur District Central Cooperative Bank. She is married to Shivakumar Talampally who belongs to a wealthy family of contractors from Hallikhed Bujurg village in Bidar district.
Ms. Kashappanavar has expressed her displeasure publicly. She met AICC leader Mallikarjun Kharge and KPCC leader D.K. Shivakumar asking them to consider her request.
And, there have been reports that Ms. Kashappanavar has been approached by some with a request to join the BJP.
Vijayanand Kashappanavar is a Panchamasali leader. He is on good terms with BJP and Panchamasali community leader Basanagouda Patil Yatnal since their united leadership of the agitation for re-categorisation of the Panchamsali community.
