In a major political drama in Karnataka that has gone in favour of the BJP, an expelled legislator of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has on Thursday officially joined the BJP in the presence of the state leaders. Kollegal N Mahesh was elected to the state assembly in the 2018 assembly polls on BSP's ticket and nearly two years of being ousted from the party, he has joined the BJP in Bengaluru. 

By joining the BJP, Mahesh has ended the months-long widespread speculations about his next political move. While addressing the event after getting annexed with the BJP, Mahesh said, "The BJP is striving for the development of 130 crore people in the country and I have watched the party for the last two years and have taken the decision -of joining the party. It was also inspired by Dr Ambedkar's vision for Abhyudaya (development)." 

"Today, the BJP has realized that the overall development is possible only through inclusiveness. I will work hard to strengthen the party", Mahesh added. The event was attended by former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa, his successor Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel, and vice-president BY Vijayendra, the son of Yediyurappa. Mahesh was elected to the assembly in the 2018 polls from the Kollegal constituency on BSP's ticket, becoming the lone legislator of the party based in Uttar Pradesh and led by Mayawati. 

The BJP and Janata Dal-Secular had formed an alliance and contested in the polls and after winning the seat, Mahesh had served as the primary and secondary education minister of Karnataka in the Janata Dal-Secular and Congress government led by HD Kumaraswamy. On July 23, 2019, he had refrained from voting during the trust vote in the Assembly post which the coalition government was toppled, letting the BJP form the government. 

The BSP had expelled him from the party for defying its order to vote in favour of the Kumaraswamy government. Former Chief Minister Yediyurappa said that Mahesh joining the BJP is an indication that people from the SC, ST and backward classes are inclined to join the BJP. The Dalit community in the state is with the BJP. Yediyurappa said that he will be touring the state to strengthen the party and called the cadres to work together to ensure that the party comes back to power with 135 seats in the next elections. 

His decision of joining the BJP would help the Central ruling party consolidate the Dalit support in the Old Mysuru region, as Mahesh is a prominent Dalit leader. Karnataka state BJP President Kateel had welcomed Mahesh into the party by saying that he had expressed his intention to join the party after the BJP works in the last two years. He has joined the BJP as he is inspired by the works of the Modi government at the Center and by the party's ideology.