Daijiworld Media Network -Udupi (TP)

Udupi, Jul 2: Shobha, the BJP-backed President of Thenkanidiyoor Gram Panchayat, officially joined the Congress party on Tuesday, July 2.

District Congress president Ashok Kumar Kodavoor formally welcomed Shobha into the party by handing over the Congress flag to her.

Previously, the 26-member Thenkanidiyoor gram panchayat comprised 14 BJP-backed members and 12 Congress-backed members. Shobha was elected president with BJP support under the ST reservation. With her joining the Congress, both BJP and Congress now have 13 members each, leading to a balance of power in the panchayat, with the administration shifting to Congress control.

In response to Shobha's actions, the BJP has expelled her from the party for anti-party activities. The expulsion order cited her filing of a false case against party members and leaders, as well as making decisions related to the Panchayat without consulting party members. The order stated that Shobha's actions had embarrassed the party and justified her immediate expulsion for unruly behavior.

During the induction event, Veronica Cornelio, KPCC spokesperson, Prakyath Shetty, vice president district congress, Yatish Karkera, general secretary, Ramesh Kanchan, president block congress and leaders Ganesh Nergi, Gopalkrishna Shetty, Meenakshi Madhav Bannanje, and Panchayat members Satish Nayak, Suresh Nayak, Prithviraj Shetty, Sharath Shetty, Venkatesh Kulal, Raviraj Lakshminagar, Meena Pinto, Simpriya Rodrigues, Manjunath Acharya, Anusha Acharya, and Vinay Acharya were present.