More JD(S) leaders join Congress

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: JD(S) leaders from Shivamogga and Tumakuru joined the Grand Old Party at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) in Bengaluru on Wednesday.

The new inductees included JD(S) leaders from Shivamogga Srikanth and Nagaraj Palaksha, apart from the regional outfit’s Tumakuru leaders Shafi Ahmed and Farzana.

Scores of their supporters also joined the party. They did so in the presence of KPCC president DK Shivakumar, who said that the new party members should do their best to recruit even more people to Congress.

“Srikanth is an old friend and a good organiser,” Shivakumar said, adding that he had been trying to recruit Srikanth for a long time.

He pointed out that Srikanth had contested Assembly elections from Bengaluru and Shivamogga but had no success, adding that he had potential to accomplish a great deal in the Congress.

The Congress chief also pointed out that Shafi was an old Congress member who had left for JD(S).

“Shafi was a party asset. I didn’t understand why he had taken a hasty decision to leave but we are welcoming him back,” Shivakumar said.

He also fell back on his old slogan that nothing was permanent in politics and that the Congress’ strength was that of the country.

The new inductions into Congress from JD(S) and BJP are seen as a pre-Lok Sabha election preparation measure.