Former MLCs join Congress

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Karnataka Congress inducted four-time MLC Marthibbegowda and former MLC Appaji Gowda into the party.

The inductions of the Mandya district natives took place at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) office in Bengaluru on Friday.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy CM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar, All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, Agriculture Minister Chaluvarayaswamy and MLC Saleem Ahmed, apart from others were also present.

Marthibbegowda had tendered his resignation as the South Teachers seat on Thursday to Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti at the latter’s residence in Hubballi.

He had also expressed a desire to leave the JD(S) on account of the party becoming increasingly oriented toward “one family”, referring to party patriarch HD Deve Gowda and his kin.

Marthibbegowda said that he had also acted on the advice of the workers associated with him.

“Last four times, I won from the South Teachers Council seat from Mysuru, Chamarajanagara, Hassan and Mandya four times consecutively. Last time (in 2000), I had gotten a ticket in Congress thanks to SM Krishna and DK Shivakumar. Second time, I became a lawmaker in 2006, also under Congress. However, the third and fourth time, I became a lawmaker under JD(S), thanks to the teachers of the constituency who voted for me across sectarian and party lines,” he said.

“JD(S) leaders HD Deve Gowda and Kumaraswamy blessed me and gave me a B form twice but didn’t give me total support in both elections. Moreover, I have developed differences with JD(S) leaders since the last Lok Sabha elections (in 2019).