<p> Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said he was "saddened" by the decision of former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi to part ways with the BJP and join the Congress.</p>.<p>"...I'm feeling very sad, we shared a close bond. Sometimes such political situations arise," Bommai said. "He might have found his political future in the Congress. We will do our job in our party."</p>.<p>Rebelling against the BJP denying him the ticket from Athani in Belagavi district, Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/laxman-savadi-joins-congress-after-bjp-denies-ticket-for-karnataka-elections-1209610.html" target="_blank">Laxman Savadi joins Congress after BJP denies ticket for Karnataka elections</a></strong></p>.<p>Sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who was backed by BJP's Belagavi strongman and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, was given the ticket in Athani.</p>.<p>Savadi is a three-time MLA from Athani but lost in the 2018 elections to Kumathalli (then in the Congress).</p>.<p>Kumathalli was among the group of 17 defectors, including Jarkiholi, who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019.</p>.<p>Savadi's decision to join the Congress came after a meeting with Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary and party in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala here on Friday.</p>.<p>"He has agreed to become a member of our (Congress) family of his own volition", Shivakumar, who was flanked by Savadi and Siddaramaiah, told reporters after the meeting.</p>
<p> Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said he was "saddened" by the decision of former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi to part ways with the BJP and join the Congress.</p>.<p>"...I'm feeling very sad, we shared a close bond. Sometimes such political situations arise," Bommai said. "He might have found his political future in the Congress. We will do our job in our party."</p>.<p>Rebelling against the BJP denying him the ticket from Athani in Belagavi district, Savadi on Wednesday announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party.</p>.<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/election/karnataka/laxman-savadi-joins-congress-after-bjp-denies-ticket-for-karnataka-elections-1209610.html" target="_blank">Laxman Savadi joins Congress after BJP denies ticket for Karnataka elections</a></strong></p>.<p>Sitting MLA Mahesh Kumathalli, who was backed by BJP's Belagavi strongman and former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, was given the ticket in Athani.</p>.<p>Savadi is a three-time MLA from Athani but lost in the 2018 elections to Kumathalli (then in the Congress).</p>.<p>Kumathalli was among the group of 17 defectors, including Jarkiholi, who helped the BJP bring down the Congress-JD(S) coalition and form its government under the leadership of B S Yediyurappa in 2019.</p>.<p>Savadi's decision to join the Congress came after a meeting with Karnataka Congress chief D K Shivakumar, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Siddaramaiah and Congress general secretary and party in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala here on Friday.</p>.<p>"He has agreed to become a member of our (Congress) family of his own volition", Shivakumar, who was flanked by Savadi and Siddaramaiah, told reporters after the meeting.</p>