Tejaswini Gowda, a former MLC for Karnataka who defected from the BJP a few days ago, joined the Congress on Saturday and claimed the saffron party does not uphold democratic and constitutional principles.
Gowda, who joined the BJP in 2014 after serving as a Congress MP from 2004 to 2009, referred to her reunion with the historic party as her "homecoming".
At the Congress headquarters here, she was admitted into the organization in the presence of party general secretary Jairam Ramesh and head of the media and publicity department Pawan Khera.
We are pleased to have Tejaswini Gowda join the Congress as a prominent figure in Karnataka politics. We fully expect Tejaswini ji to continue running in the upcoming elections. Between 2004 to 2009, Tejaswini served as a Congress MP and was outspoken on a number of issues. Ramesh expressed his happiness at her return to the Congress.
Gowda stated, "The Congress believes in action and not just words," in her speech. We can see history there. Sincerely, I would like to work for the party; it's high time.
She claimed that the BJP does not uphold the principles of constitutional democracy.
Gowda, a former journalist, too seemed confident that the Congress will emerge from the next Lok Sabha elections with 23 of Karnataka's 28 seats.
Gowda became an MLA in 2018 after joining the BJP in 2014. She had represented the saffron party as well. Her MLC term was scheduled to expire in June 2024.
She represented the Kanakapura segment in the 14th Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009. As a Congress candidate, she defeated former JD(S) prime minister H D Deve Gowda to win the seat that is now Bangalore Rural.
