Senior JD(S) leader from Karnataka's Arkalgud, AT Ramaswamy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the presence of Union minister & BJP leader Anurag Thakur.
Ramaswamy had resigned as MLA on Friday. Ramaswamy had submitted his resignation to the Karnataka Legislative Assembly Secretary at Vidhana Soudha, as Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri was in his hometown of Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district. There were speculations about him joining the BJP since he resigned.
Ramaswamy was vocal about his differences with party leadership
A four-time MLA from Arkalgud in JD(S) home turf of Hassan district, Ramaswamy has been vocal about his differences with the party leadership in recent days.
While talking to reporters after joining the BJP, Ramaswamy said: "I’m really impressed by the way party (BJP) is working. I’m a victim of money power because I always used to talk about irregularities and corruption. Without any condition I’m joining BJP. I just want an opportunity to serve people."
After joining the BJP, AT Ramaswamy met party chief JP Nadda in presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur & National Gen Secy Dushyant Kumar Gautam
Rumblings in Hassan JD(S) unit ahead of polls
Former Minister A Manju, who has earlier been with both Congress and BJP, and had represented the Arkalgud constituency in the past, recently joined JD(S) and is likely to be the party's candidate from the segment.
There are reports that another JD(S) MLA from Arsikere in Hassan district, Shivalinge Gowda, is also likely to resign soon to join the Congress.
Several MLAs resign ahead of assembly polls
Ramaswamy is not the only legislator to have quit his party.
Earlier on Friday, Kudligi BJP MLA NY Gopalakrishna resigned as legislator. He submitted his resignation to Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri at his office at Sirsi in Uttara Kannada district.
About speculations of joining Congress, Gopalakrishna said he was planning to take retirement from politics. “My age is 72, and at this age...I cannot take the responsibility due to age and health factors...I have not thought of joining another party and my plan is to retire from politics,” he said.
Gopalakrishna said his sons' desire to contest the poll from “any of the parties” was one of the reasons for his resignation as an MLA. He recently met Congress leaders DK Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah.
On March 27, another JD (S) MLA of the party S R Srinivas (Gubbi Srinivas alias Vasu) resigned and joined the Congress on Thursday.
"I have happily resigned as Arkalgud MLA. I have submitted my resignation to the Assembly Secretary, and once the Speaker comes I will meet him and request him to accept it," Ramaswamy said, speaking to reporters.
He thanked the JD(S) for having given him the opportunity to serve as a member of the Legislative Assembly, and said he has never done politics for personal gains and has served the people of the state and constituency with honesty.
"I did not quit JD(S). They themselves have sent me out... I'm a victim before money power. As I have officially resigned today, I will discuss the future and decide...I have been contacted by people from other parties. Without anything official yet, it will not be right to speak on it...I aspire to contest the election to serve people if I get an opportunity," he added
