Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Jan 3: Former minister V Srinivas Prasad along with scores of his supporters formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party here on Monday. “I have joined BJP and decided to continue in public life to redeem my pride, which was dented by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah,” he said defending his move.

Addressing the gathering after his induction into the party, the senior dalit leader launched an offensive against Siddaramaiah for the way he was dumped from the ministry.

“I have always practised dignified politics without compromising on my self-respect. Siddaramaiah dented my pride and self-respect by treating me shabbily when he revamped his ministry. I cannot tolerate anything that pricks my pride. So I quit Congress,” he said.

Defending his decision to join BJP, Prasad rejected the view that BJP is anti-dalit. “It is not appropriate to brand BJP as anti-dalit or anti-backwards. BJP has been voted to power at the Centre and the party had also received people’s mandate in the state earlier. This is not possible without the support of the dalits and backward communities,” he said.

He also lauded Prime Minister Modi’s governance and social commitment, which he said motivated him to join BJP.

Prasad, who is expected to be BJP’s candidate for the soon to be held by-poll for the Nanjangud assembly constituency, said that he has joined BJP unconditionally. “My only request was not to do anything that could hurt my pride. BJP leaders and workers have extended me a grand welcome. I have decided to extend my innings in politics by a few years to redeem my pride,” he said.

Apart from BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa, Union ministers H N Ananth Kumar, D V Sadananda Gowda, Ramesh Jigajinagi, BJP National General Secretary in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka Muralidhara Rao, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Assembly Jagadish Shettar were among those present on the occasion.