Bangalore, Aug 03: In a step towards polarisation of Janata Parivar in Karnataka, JD(U)'s Karnataka unit today merged with JD(S) headed by former prime minister H D Deve Gowda. JD (U) leaders N Thipanna and P G R Sindhia announced the merger in the presence of Gowda at a press conference, saying that it was 'inevitable' to oust what they called the 'corrupt Congress government' in the state and to provide an alternative to it.


Declaring the merger was 'unconditional', they said that they had accepted the leadership of Gowda and JD(S) state unit president Siddaramaiah and called upon All India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) leaders to join hands with them.

The development today comes even as the ongoing talks between AIPJD, which has 17 legislators, and JD(S) have not made much significant headway towards Janata Parivar unity.

JD(U) has only one member in the assembly in Sindhia.

Thippanna said that workers and people desired Janata Parivar unity which alone could throw up a challenge to the Congress.

He said that they had spoken to JD(U) party national president and union minister Sharad Yadav about the "inevitability" of the merger in Karnataka.
Thipanna was only recently appointed as convenor of JD(U) in Karnataka after it was almost completely depleted in terms of its legislative strength, with All India Janata Dal coming into existence last year.

Almost the entire JD(U) and a section of JD(S) had come together to form the new outfit, headed by former chief minister S R Bommai. The name of the new party was later changed as All India Progressive Janata Dal.

Bureau Report