Bengaluru: Amid speculations that he may switch over to the BJP and contest as a BJP candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, former minister and Congress leader from Hassan A Manju met BJP state vice president and dalit face of the party V Shrinivasa Prasad at his residence in Mysuru, on Saturday evening.

According to the sources, with JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda planning to vacate Hassan constituency for his grand son Prajwal, A Manju is sensing a victory if he contests.

“His idea is mobilising the Vokkaliga, Dalit and Lingayat votes. To understand the pulse of the dalit vote bank he met Prasad,” said BJP Mysuru district unit sources.

A Manju declined to comment, but the BJP sources confirmed that he is expected to join party soon.