Karnataka: Ghar wapsi? Sulking minister Anand Singh meets DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: Tourism minister Anand Singh, who has been unhappy with the BJP state leadership for quite some time, on Monday met KPCC president DK Shivakumar, setting off speculation that he might switch sides in the assembly elections next year.
The two leaders held a closed-door meeting for about 30 minutes at Shivakumar's residence. Though what transpired at the meeting is not known, Singh and Shivakumar denied any political tone to it.
"Our meeting was not political. I met him to discuss a tourism project," Singh said. "A visit to a leader's house is not about politics. To talk politics, we would go to a resort or hotel," Shivakumar said, adding he discussed developing tourist spots in his (Kanakapura assembly) and his brother's (Bengaluru Rural Lok Sabha) constituencies.
Singh was the first of 17 MLAs to quit the Congress in 2019, leading to the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) government and installation of the BJP regime in Karnataka.
Singh and some of his cabinet colleagues have been sulking over not getting the responsibility of their home districts. Singh was aspiring to be the guardian minister of the new Vijayanagara district, but he was given charge of Koppal. This was protested by his supporters in Hospet. Two days ago, he met chief minister Basavaraj Bommai and his predecessor BS Yediyurappa seeking to reconsider the decision, but in vain.
Sources said the party's central leadership is unlikely to meet his demand since there are strong indications he may not contest from BJP in the next polls. Asked about it, Bommai said, "You better ask Anand Singh."
A senior BJP functionary confirmed that Singh is upset over allocation of district in-charge responsibilities and appears to be "mentally prepared" to leave the party. Others within BJP said Singh was merely resorting to muscle-flexing.