Congress Loses Third Wicket - Star MLA Jaggesh Joins BJP
PTI
Bangalore, Jul 10: Popular Kannada actor and MLA Jaggesh on Thursday joined BJP after resigning his assembly membership, the third from the Congress to defect to the ruling party.
Jaggesh had contested the assembly elections for the first time and had won from the Turuvekere seat.
Last week, Asnotikar Anand Vasant and J Narasimha Swamy had switched loyalties after resigning from the assembly.
In a brief ceremony held at Raj Bhavan earlier today, Asnotikar was inducted into the BJP ministry along with Balachandra Jarakhiholi and Shivanagouda Naik, who joined the saffron party from JDS.
With this, five Opposition party legislators have joined the BJP. All the five had resigned their assembly membership to avoid attraction of provisions of anti-defection laws as JDS and Congress accused the saffron party of "poaching" the MLAS.
Jaggesh called on the State Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar today and submitted resignation from the assembly which was immediately accepted.
Transport minister R Ashok and others welcomed Jaggesh into the party.
J Narasimha Swamy of Congress has been appointed Chairman of Slum Clearance Board.