Ex-Karnataka BJP minister quits party over Modi

BANGALORE: Mumtaz Ali Khan, who was a minister in the previous BJP government, joined Congress on Thursday, saying he was saddened by the outfit's decision to project Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial candidate. Khan, who had held the departments of minority affairs, haj and waqf during BJP rule, also resigned as a member of the state legislative council. Soft-spoken Khan, a sociology professor, who had taught at the University of Agricultural Sciences here, was hand-picked by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa who also made him a minister. In fact, he had identified with Yeddyurappa after the latter quit BJP and floated Karnataka Janata Paksha. "Modi did not express regrets for the 2002 tragedy. We have to work together and stop Modi from becoming Prime Minister", Khan told reporters at the office of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee where KPCC president G Parameshwara welcomed him into the party. PTI