BSY's 'right hand man' Manjunath Gowda, defects, joins JD(S)

State BJP President B S Yeddyurappa's right hand man Manjunath Gowda, who lost the last election from Thirthalli by a narrow margin of 600 votes,  defected and joined JD(S) on Tuesday.  

He joined JD(S) at the party's  National President H D Deve Gowda's house in Padmanabhanagar, Bengaluru.  

Manjunath Gowda joined JD(S) in the presence of MLA Madhu Bangarappa, Shivamogga district JD(S) president Srikanth, district leader Madan, former MLA Nada Gowda, Annadani and others.  

DC's transfer irks Gowda  

Speaking to reporters at his house in Bengaluru, Deve Gowda expressed discontentment over the transfer of Hassan deputy commissioner Rohini Sindhuri.  

"The government has transferred an honest officer. It has been no more than six months since her taking charge as Hassan DC. The government had done the same to the previous DC as well," Gowda said.

"The Maha Mastakabhisheka arrangements are going on. Sindhuri did not allow dishonest politicians to make money. So she was transferred. Do these people need to make a percentage out of a pious occasion such as this too?" Gowda questioned adding that the transfer order was issued overnight.  

Gowda to boycott President's function

Former Prime Minister Deve Gowda said that he would boycott the President's function in Hassan February 7 in protest of the Congress government's style of functioning. He added that he would write about it to the President.  

"I will not share the dais with Siddaramaiah," Gowda stated.    

JD(S) won't support bundh

He categorically stated that JD(S) will not support the bandh call on January 25 and February 4.

Pro-Kannada organisations have called for a Karnataka bandh on January 25 and Kalasa-Banduri Horata Samanvaya Samiti has called for a Bengaluru bundh on February 4 (the day Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the city).

"These bundhs are government sponsored," alleged Gowda.