Former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer K Shivaram joined the Congress on Thursday along with two prominent JD(S) leaders Krishna and C Narayanaswamy.
After joining the Congress, former speaker Krishna said the Janata Dal (Secular) which was once the party of peasants has now reduced to merely a family-run party of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and his sons.
Alleging that Gowda and his son H D Kumaraswamy have turned the party platform a resting place for the real estate barons and capitalists, Krishna said: “Those who came from Dubai and Mumbai were preferred to as party candidates as they could afford to bring sacks of money.”
During the function, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: “By joining hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party, the JD(S) has lost its secular credential both within and outside the party.”
Charging that the former prime minister was only interested in furthering the political interests of his family, Siddaramiah said it was proved once again when he preferred to field his daughter-in-law to a seat which was vacated by his son in the Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha seat.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party legislator C P Yogeshwara announced his decision to support the Congress in the byelections being held for Mandya and Bangalore Rural seats.
The decision to extend support to the Congress in the byelections was taken after eliciting opinions from the party workers at a meeting convened at Channapatna on Thursday.