Bharatiya Janata Party leader Basanagouda Turvihal, who lost in the 2018 Assembly election from Maski, is likely to join the Congress.
He lost the election by a margin of 213 votes against Prathapgouda Patil of the Congress. Mr. Turvihal is likely to change the party after the BJP poached Mr. Patil, who won Maski and was disqualified later. Mr. Patil is likely to be the BJP candidate for the bypoll, which is yet to be announced.
A delegation of Raichur Congress leaders held talks with Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday. Former Raichur MP B.V. Nayak told mediapersons after meeting Mr. Siddaramaiah that the party was considering fielding Mr. Turvihal in the byelection.
