The Congress on Monday took a swipe at the BJP over former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar crossing over to it ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections, claiming the ruling party is "falling like a house of cards".

Shettar joined the Congress in Bengaluru in the presence of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, general secretaries K C Venugopal and Randeep Singh Surjewala (Karnataka in-charge), KPCC president D K Shivakumar and Legislature Party leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah, among others.

In a tweet on his joining, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "A massive shift in Karnataka politics! Former CM and a widely respected leader across the state, Jagadish Shettar, has joined the Congress party today." "@INCKarnataka is on track to form the government with a full majority. BJP is falling like a house of cards," Ramesh said.

Shettar on Sunday had resigned as the Hubli-Dharwad (Central) MLA after the BJP denied him the ticket to contest the Assembly polls.

The 67-year old six-time MLA, Shettar was asked by the BJP top brass to make way for others, but he on his part had asserted that he wanted to contest one last time.

After joining the Congress, Shettar alleged that he had been humiliated by the BJP by denying him a ticket and that the party is today in the control of "very few people." PTI ASK DV DV

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