Former MLA H Ningappa to join JD(S)

Former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said that former MLA of Tumkur Rural Assembly Constituency, H Ningappa, would rejoin the Janata Dal (Secular) on Tuesday morning.

Ningappa, who had previously been with JD(S) but switched to Congress in November 2022, will return to his former party.

Expressing his happiness about returning to the party, Ningappa mentioned having a meeting with JDS chief and former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda. Alongside his supporters, Ningappa will officially join the party at a program scheduled at the JDS state office at 10:30 am on Tuesday.

On a different note, Janata Dal (Secular) faced a setback as its leader, Najma Nazeer Chikkanerale, joined the Congress party on Saturday. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the development, stating that Najma Nazeer Chikkanerale, along with her supporters, has officially switched sides.

With Karnataka set to vote in two phases on April 26 and May 7 in the Lok Sabha elections, the political landscape is heating up.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP emerged victorious with a record 25 seats in the state while the Congress-JD(S) alliance faltered, securing only one seat each. This time around, JD(S) has joined hands with the BJP.

The upcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024 will span seven phases starting from April 19, with vote counting slated for June 4.

(with ANI inputs)