S Bangarappa has done it again. The former chief minister has hopped out of Congress for the fourth time, and this time into the Janata Dal (Secular) to join hands with his old friend HD Deve Gowda. The two senior leaders came together after a long hiatus of 27 years with a common cause of crushing BJP and hastening the fall of the BS Yeddyurappa government.
Determined to regain lost ground in the forthcoming panchayat polls, JD(S) has succeeded in wooing back several Janata Parivar leaders who are now sulking in BJP and Congress.
The entry of Bangarappa, who hails from the Idiga community from Yeddyurappa’s backyard of Shimoga district, is a big catch for the JD(S). He was given a warm welcome by Gowda and his son HD Kumaraswamy as he was inducted into the party at JD(S) office. It is just the beginning and more will follow, said Gowda.
Former minister C Chennigappa and his son Gaurishankar too, rejoined the JD(S) on the occasion after quitting the BJP.
“Bangrappa has come to fight for a public cause. He is known for his self-pride. He is not a person who will compromise his self-pride for power,” JD(S) national president Gowda said.
Gowda also stated that Bangarappa’s joining the party was unconditional. “We will utilise his service as he is an asset to our party. We will hold a massive rally in his hometown Shimoga next week, for his formal induction into the party,” Gowda said.
Defending his switch over to the JD(S), Bangarappa said, “My party-hopping has always been for a public cause. I have no faith in the present state Congress leadership. I have already sent in my resignation to the party supremo Sonia Gandhi.”
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