6 JD(S) MLAs join Cong.(I)

By Our Special Correspondent

BANGALORE, MARCH 24. The much-speculated split in the Janata Dal (Secular) group in the Legislative Assembly came about this evening with six out of the ten MLAs walking over to the ruling Congress (I).

The six include the leader of the party group in the House, Mr. Malikayya Guttedar (elected from Afzalpur). The others to defect are Mr. Subash Guttedar (Aland), Mr. M.G.Mule (Basavakalyan), Mr.Basavaraj Neelappa Shivannavar (Haveri), Mr. Khadri Azeempeer Khadarbasha (Shiggaon) and Mr.Veeranna Gowda (Gubbi).

As a split has occurred in the party, the six will become full members of the Congress (I) unlike the 11 independents, who joined it recently, who are treated as associate members. The Chief Minister, Mr. S.M.Krishna, has welcomed the entry of the six into the party. They have joined the Congress (I).

The strength of the ruling Party in the 224-member Assembly (with one vacancy) has gone up to 147 including the 11 associate members.

It is stated that the State President of the Janata Dal(S), Mr. Siddaramaiah, met the Chief Minister on Thursday and discussed the question of defection. Mr.Krishna is stated to have told him that the six MLAs themselves were craving to join the Congress (I) and that his party had no role in the split. One of the six MLAs, Mr. Shivannavar, was a personal follower of Mr. Siddaramaiah.

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