Udupi, March 4: Amidst fierce campaign for impending Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll, former MLA U R Sabhapathi on Sunday joined Janata Dal (Secular) in a formal programme here.
JD(S) workers welcomed the former Congress leader to the regional party with a giant garland and shawl. JD(S) candidate for bypoll Bhojegowda, and party leader Madhu Bangarappa, Mahendra Kumar and Devi Prasad Shetty formally inducted Mr Sabhapathi.
Speaking on the occasion Mr Madhu Bangarappa said Sabhapathi was a staunch political supporter of Bangarappa. “Late Bangarappa had a dream of a progressive government and JD(S) is now committed to fulfill his dream”, he said.
Calling BJP a corrupt party, he said people of Karnataka were looking ahead for a good government. “Yes, people have already initiated a struggle under the leadership of JD(S)”, he said.
He said that JD(S) fielded Bhojegowda for Udupi-Chikmagalur pypoll to win and not to make any adjustments with BJP. More young leaders from BJP and Congress would join JD(S) soon, he added.
Mr Sabhapathi said he delayed joining JD(S) to take up anti-Nagarjuna protest apolitical.
Lashing out at the State government he said there was neither social justice nor political values in BJP rule. He also condemned the government's inaction during attack on media persons at civil court premises in Bangalore.
Mr Bhojegowda said that a large number of Sabhapathi's supports would follow him and they would be inducted into the party in another programme in the presence of JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy.
President of the district unit of JD (S) Deviprasad Shetty on Saturday had announced the induction of Mr Sabhapathi into JD(S).
Mr. Sabhapathi was elected MLA from the Udupi Assembly constituency in 1994 on the Karnataka Congress Party (KCP) ticket. Later the KCP merged with Congress.
Mr. Sabhapathi was re-elected from Udupi Assembly constituency in 1999 as a Congress candidate, but lost against BJP's K Raghupati Bhat in 2004.
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