<p>Minister D K Shivakumar, on Tuesday, gave an open invitation to BJP legislators and leaders to join the Congress, if they were interested. He said several BJP leaders were ready to quit that party.</p>.<p>“There are some legislators also, and they are in regular contact with us. BJP workers also want to join Congress. We are giving them an open invitation, and it is a golden opportunity for them,” he told reporters here.</p>.<p>In reply to BJP leaders’ expectation of political change in the state after the Lok Sabha poll results, Shivakumar said, “there would be a political change after Lok Sabha poll results, but it would be a change to strengthen the coalition government”.</p>.<p>Shivakumar, one of the Congress’ overall incharge leaders for Kundgol bypoll, said the day-to-day activities of the party related to the byelection were being conveyed to coalition co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah.</p>.<p>Refuting the charge that Siddaramaiah was being sidelined in the coalition government, Shivakumar said, “Yeddyurappa wants all power for himself. What did he do to Jagadish Shettar?”</p>.<p>He said that the BJP would sang paeans during the demise of then Municipal administration minister C S Shivalli, should now support his wife Kusuma Shivalli in the bypolls. He said Shivalli was a reputed elected representative and he passed away even before completing three months as a minster.</p>.<p>He said Kusuma Shivalli had entered the fray with a commitment to continue the good works taken by her husband and challenged the BJP to support her in the byelections.</p>
<p>Minister D K Shivakumar, on Tuesday, gave an open invitation to BJP legislators and leaders to join the Congress, if they were interested. He said several BJP leaders were ready to quit that party.</p>.<p>“There are some legislators also, and they are in regular contact with us. BJP workers also want to join Congress. We are giving them an open invitation, and it is a golden opportunity for them,” he told reporters here.</p>.<p>In reply to BJP leaders’ expectation of political change in the state after the Lok Sabha poll results, Shivakumar said, “there would be a political change after Lok Sabha poll results, but it would be a change to strengthen the coalition government”.</p>.<p>Shivakumar, one of the Congress’ overall incharge leaders for Kundgol bypoll, said the day-to-day activities of the party related to the byelection were being conveyed to coalition co-ordination committee chairman Siddaramaiah.</p>.<p>Refuting the charge that Siddaramaiah was being sidelined in the coalition government, Shivakumar said, “Yeddyurappa wants all power for himself. What did he do to Jagadish Shettar?”</p>.<p>He said that the BJP would sang paeans during the demise of then Municipal administration minister C S Shivalli, should now support his wife Kusuma Shivalli in the bypolls. He said Shivalli was a reputed elected representative and he passed away even before completing three months as a minster.</p>.<p>He said Kusuma Shivalli had entered the fray with a commitment to continue the good works taken by her husband and challenged the BJP to support her in the byelections.</p>