Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former MLA Jyothi Reddy on Sunday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Ms. Reddy, who was the former Sate JD(S) Mahila Morcha president, joined the BJP in the presence of the former Deputy Chief Minister R Ashok, and former Ministers B.N. Bache Gowda and V. Somanna.
Ms. Reddy was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Gauribidanur in 1994.
She told presspersons that JD(S) leaders, including the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, not allowed her to develop her career in the party.
After enduring “mental torture” for several years, she decided to quit the JD(S), Ms. Reddy said. Mr. Bache Gowda, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Chickballapur constituency, said Ms. Reddy’s admission to the party would give him strength to fight against Congress candidate and Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas M. Veerappa Moily and JD(S) candidate and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
