Karnataka: Expelled JD(S) MP Shivarame Gowda joins BJP

Bengaluru: LR Shivarame Gowda, a former MP from Karnataka's Mandya who was expelled from Janata Dal (Secular), joined the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday.

A two-time MLA L.R. Shivarame Gowda was inducted into the party by BJP State president Nalin Kumar Kateel.

Shivarame Gowda won in 1989 and 1994 as an independent candidate. Along with Shivarame Gowda his son Chetan Gowda also joined the BJP. On the Congress ticket, Chetan Gowda had  contested unsuccessfully from Padmanabha Nagar Assembly seat in Bengaluru

He was elected to Lok Sabha from Mandya seat in 2018 bypoll. It is said that Shivarame Gowda is the frontrunner for BJP ticket from Nagamangala in the ensuing Assembly polls. Earlier, BJP was considering fielding a rowdy sheeter ‘Figher’ Ravi to contest the Nagamangala seat.  

Shivarame Gowda was expelled by JDS after he reportedly made derogatory remarks against the late Mandya MP and noted farmers’ leader Madegowda. He was expelled in January, 2022.

Nagamangala Assembly seat has been a stronghold of Janata Dal Secular and Congress and the seat has witnessed direct fight between the JDS and Congress nominees.