Siddaramaiah likely to resign MLA post before joining Cong

Mysore, July 8 (UNI) Former Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and All India Progressive Janata Dal leader Siddaramaiah today indicated that he would resign his Assembly seat, won on a Janata Dal (Secular) ticket, before joining the Congress.

Talking to newspersons at his Chamundeswari constituency here, he said he would take a decision on resigning his MLA post within a week.

Earlier, addressing a public rally, he sought the opinion of the gathering about his joining the Congress and resigning from the legislative assembly.

He did not want to join the Congress through the backdoor, he added.

Mr Siddaramaiah said he and his supporters wanted to join a 'secular' party to do away with family politics and keep away communal forces from the state.

Criticising former Prime Minister and JD(S) president H D Deve Gowda and his son and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for joining hands with the ''communal'' BJP to grab power, he accused Mr Gowda of playing a vital role in pulling down the previous Congress-JD(S) government and forming a coalition with the BJP to make his son the Chief Minister.

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