HASSAN: Two JDS MLAs from home turf of JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda skipped the valedictory event of the Janata Jaladhare programme in Bengaluru on Friday. MLAs KM Shivalingegowda and AT Ramaswamy from Arsikere and Arkalgud Assembly constituencies respectively attended different programmes in repetitive constituencies.
Shivalingegowda has been keeping a distance with party activities for two months due to a reported rift with JDS leaders HD Revanna and HD Kumaraswamy. Sources said that Shivalingegowda is likely to join Congress and contest in a Congress ticket in the 2023 assembly elections. Ramaswamy has decided against contesting the 2023 assembly elections as he was frustrated with politics and the attitude of senior leaders sources added.
Revanna had recently said that Shivalingegowda and Ramaswamy had already clarified that they will not attend the Janata Jaladhare programme due to unavoidable circumstances and send the local leaders and workers to the rally. Over 2,000 JDS workers from Hassan district attended the valedictory event. The party has arranged 450 KSRTC buses to ferry the workers which brought hardship to commuters due to lack of KSRTC buses to taluk centres from the district headquarters in Hassan on Friday.