Bangalore: Close on the heels of sharing power with BJP in Mysore Zilla Panchayat, opposition JD(S) on Sunday admitted into its fold a sangh parivar leader reportedly involved in church attacks in Karnataka to "weaken communal forces and strengthen secular forces".
Former convenor of Bajrang Dal Mahendra Kumar today joined JD(S) led by former Prime Minister HD Devegowda along with his supporters from coastal and Malnad districts of Karnataka.
Mahendra Kumar, who was divested as the convenor of Bajrang Dal after he owned responsibility for the 2008 church attack in parts of Mangalore and Chikmagalur and even jailed for some time, lashed out at BJP, which he accused as a "party that is creating a wedge between castes and communities for its survival".
"I am today shedding the shackles of communalism to strive for communal harmony", Mahendra Kumar said defending his cross over to JD(S).
He tendered his apologies to Christians for his role in attacks on churches and described Muslims as patriots.
Mahendra Kumar, training his guns on the BJP government in the state, said corruption had reached unprecedented heights.
Kumaraswamy dubbed the Congress as a "directionless party".
He said he had chosen to admit Mahendra Kumar into the party fold despite reservations expressed by Muslims and Christian leaders.
PTI
