Karnataka Polls 2023: Geetha Shivarajkumar, the wife of Kannada film star Shivarajkumar, joined the Congress on Friday, leaving the JD(S). She is the daughter-in-law of Kannada actor Dr Rajkumar and the granddaughter of former Chief Minister S Bangarappa. She was initiated into the party in the presence of state president D K Shivakumar, AICC spokesperson Gourav Vallabh, and her younger brother Madhu Bangarappa, who is the Congress candidate in Soraba, news agency PTI reported.
Geetha's other brother, former Minister Kumar Bangarappa, is a BJP member and the party's candidate in Soraba.
"I'm very happy to be doing this. Congress is a historic party, one that made my father the Chief Minister," Geetha was quoted by PTI in its report.
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She also stated that she will campaign for Shivakumar in Kanakapura and her brother Madhu in Soraba, as well as other locations as directed by the party.
Geetha ran unsuccessfully for the JD(S) in the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Shivamogga.
Geetha and Shivakumar both stated that Shivarajkumar will campaign for Congress in the following days, ahead of the Assembly elections.
"I wholeheartedly welcome her to the party....after consistent efforts to get Geetha to join the party, she is now a member of Congress," Shivakumar added, remembering his strong relationship with her father Bangarappa.
Former JD(S) Minister B B Ningaiah has also joined the party. Ningaiah was first handed a ticket from the Mudigere Assembly segment by the JD(S), but he was later replaced by that party after incumbent MLA M P Kumaraswamy joined it after being rejected a ticket by the BJP.
(With Inputs From PTI)