BANGALORE, February 5: The Janata Dal Government in Karnataka suffered a major blow on Wednesday with Janata Dal Parliamentary Board Chairman K B Shanappa, resigning from his post and joining Rashtriya Nava Nirmana Vedike (RNNV), an apolitical outfit floated by Ramakrishna Hegde.This is the second jolt for the ruling Janata Dal in the state. Barely a fortnight ago, three ministers - R V Deshpande, Ramesh C Jigajinagai and Ajay Kumar Sarnaik - resigned from the Patel ministry and three MLAs B R Yavagal, K S Beelagi, Govind Karjol joined the RNNV.Shanappa, former Excise Minister who served a brief stint of six months in the J H Patel ministry, defending his decision to join RNNV as a `spontaneous one' told mediapersons that he was in a "dilemma" to join Hegde, who made an alliance with BJP. "I have a communist background and I feel my political thinking may not vibe well with BJP's. However, I have decided to work for Lok Shakti in three constituences including Gulbarga, where BJP had fielded acandidate," he clarified.Shanappa was cut short by Lok Shakti spokesman Raghupathy when he said, "You know that the BJP's commitment on Article 370, uniform civil code and Ayodhya issue do not go well with my ideology personally." Raghupathy intervened to say that Lok Shakti will have its separate manifesto based on its own ideologies and principles within a couple of days.Narrating the humiliation he underwent in the party under the "dictatorial reign" of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, he said, "Despite being the party Parliamentary Board Chairman I have not signed a single B Form of the candiates now fielded by the party in the Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. There were no discussions held on whom should be given party tickets. Selection of candidates was the decision of some "important persons and groups" in the party."On asked whether he was part of the team in selecting JD candidates for the ensuing elections, he said, "I saw the first list of 14 candidates. Then onwards the"master" (Deve Gowda) took over. I did not even select Deve Gowda as one of the party candidates. I do not know how Kannada cine actor Ambarish figured as one of the contestants. It was Krishna's name that figured originally for the Mandya seat. I thought Krishna was one of the aliases of Ambarish. I feel guilty of being a silent spectator to all these developments," he said amidst laughter.Meanwhile party spokesman and Chief Minister J H Patel's political secretary K H Srinivas today attacked the Lok Shakti for forcing people to leave Janata Dal. "If they want to psychologically unnerve the Janata Dal by this cheap trick, I can assure them that it will not work".Expressing surprise at Shanappa's decision, he told mediapersons that Shanappa had been given all the prominence he wanted in the Janata Dal and was known to be close to Chief Minister J H Patel. "Till two days ago there was not even a whisper of his reservations regarding the party or his inclinations. How do you trust such human beings?" heasked. Calling it a wrong decision, he remarked "Some people have their own designs".He denied charges that Shanappa was upset at not having his way in the selection of candidates."At every stage the selection was made by assuring maximum consensus in the party" and Shanappa had a major say in most os them, he added.On Shanappa blaming former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda for his leaving, he said "It is just an excuse for the real reason. It is Patel's rule. You cannot blame it on Gowda."
