AIPJD to merge with Congress in Karnataka

The All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD), floated by former Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah, will merge with the Congress party during September.

Siddaramaiah, who recently quit the JD (S) led by former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda to join the Congress party, told reporters that the merger of AIPJD with Congress will take place at a huge rally to be attended by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Claiming that he been welcomed into the Congress party “wholeheartedly”, Siddaramaiah said the merger of AIPJD into the Congress will be a “historic” event. Eight JD (S) legislators, who had identified themselves with the AIPJD, will also eventually join the Congress party. “They are waiting for an appropriate time to resign from the Assembly”, he added.

He lashed out at Deve Gowda, who fought the 2004 Assembly elections in Karnataka on a secular platform, for joining hands with the BJP to make his son H D Kumaraswamy as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.

AIPJD will be joining hands with the Congress to strengthen secular forces. “I and my supporters in the JD (S) decided to join the Congress because Gowda has sacrificed the party’s secular principles for the sake of making his son the Chief Minister”, Siddaramaiah said.