Two JD(S) members from Raichur district — Manappa Vajjal, MLA for Lingsagur, Raichur district, and Shivaraj Patil, MLA for Raichur city — joined the BJP on Thursday. Jaipal Reddy, an Independent, who came a close second in Gowribidanur in 2013 Assembly polls, also joined the BJP.
BJP State president B.S. Yeddyurappa welcomed them to the party and said many leaders, including those at the zilla panchayat level and MLAs were in touch with the BJP.
The two MLAs submitted their resignations to Assembly secretary S. Murthy on Thursday before joining the party.
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However, rules stipulate that MLAs must submit resignations to the Speaker in person only. “The Speaker was not in town. So we submitted it to the secretary. We will again meet the Speaker and submit our resignation, if needed,” said Dr. Shivaraj Patil.
He said while he had no major differences with the JD(S) leadership, he had to quit the party as he was sidelined and other local leaders were promised ticket in the district.
Manappa Vajjal, a former BJP MLA only returned to his home party. He said he had to quit JD(S) as he was sidelined and BJP was a national party that offered hope.
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Railway Minister Piyush Goyal clarified that his recent visit to the house of JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda was strictly non-political. “We wont need the support of JD(S) to form the government. We will win 150 seats on our own and will form a government. Why will we go to JD(S), when their MLAs are joining us,” he said.