Congress admits former BJP man, who had worked to defeat AICC Prez Kharge in 2019

Former Karnataka minister Baburao Chinchansur, who resigned as a BJP MLC, earlier this week and joined the Congress party on Wednesday is  known for doing ludicrous things to please his political bosses.  In 1999,  he wanted S M Krishna, who had been appointed as the Congress State  President,  to be taken on an elephant back from the government guest house in Kalaburagi to the local party office, presented with a silver mace, sword and a crown. However, Krishna declined to oblige him. Later, he had attempted similar mega receptions for Congress leaders visiting  Kalaburagi and in 2019 once again came into the political limelight for having worked towards the defeat of AICC President Mallikarjun M Kharge, who had not lost a single election since 1972, from the Kalaburagi Lok Sabha constituency.

The ruling BJP had rewarded Chinchansur with an MLC seat in July 2022, who after his defeat as a Congress candidate from Gurmitkal Assembly constituency in Kalaburagi in the 2018 Assembly polls had joined the ruling party. Chinchansur had joined the BJP stating it was the only party, which had recognised the Koli Kabbaliga (fishermen community) by making Ram Nath Kovind the President and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyothi as Union minister.

The Koli Kabbaliga listed as a backward classes community in Karnataka has been demanding reservation under the  Scheduled Tribes category, which the BJP had assured to provide during the 2018  Assembly and 2019 Lok Sabha polls and is yet to be fulfilled. The community holds sway in 15 to 20 constituencies in Kalyan Karnataka districts of Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur, Koppal, Ballari and Vijayanagara, which was earlier known as Hyderabad-Karnatak region.

Notwithstanding his ludicrous actions, Chinchansur is looked upon as the leader of the Koli Kabbaligas after the death of their leader and former  MLA Vittal Heroor. According to political sources, the Congress stands to gain in the upcoming polls with Chinchansur's return to the party.  He is expected to get a ticket from Gurmitakal again, which is going to benefit the Congress candidates in the adjacent constituencies including Chittapur from where  Kharge's son Priyank Kharge will be recontesting.

Responding to a question about his differences with Kharge, Chinchansur said his fight with the Congress president was like that between a father and a son, which has now been resolved. "For the favour he has done for me, I will remain indebted to him in my next seven births,"  he added.

Admitting him to the party, KPCC President D K Shivakumar said Chinchansur will be a big strength. In a tweet  AICC general secretary Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala said: ``I'm certain that Congress party will be strengthened & we'll raise the voice of backwards together.''