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U R Sabhapathi quits Congress, joins JD(S)

March 4, 2012

Sabhapathi


Udupi, March 4: Amidst fierce campaign for impending Udupi-Chikmagalur bypoll, former MLA U R Sabhapathi on Sunday joined Janata Dal (Secular) in a formal programme here.

JD(S) workers welcomed the former Congress leader to the regional party with a giant garland and shawl. JD(S) candidate for bypoll Bhojegowda, and party leader Madhu Bangarappa, Mahendra Kumar and Devi Prasad Shetty formally inducted Mr Sabhapathi.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Madhu Bangarappa said Sabhapathi was a staunch political supporter of Bangarappa. “Late Bangarappa had a dream of a progressive government and JD(S) is now committed to fulfill his dream”, he said.

Calling BJP a corrupt party, he said people of Karnataka were looking ahead for a good government. “Yes, people have already initiated a struggle under the leadership of JD(S)”, he said.

He said that JD(S) fielded Bhojegowda for Udupi-Chikmagalur pypoll to win and not to make any adjustments with BJP. More young leaders from BJP and Congress would join JD(S) soon, he added.

Mr Sabhapathi said he delayed joining JD(S) to take up anti-Nagarjuna protest apolitical.


Lashing out at the State government he said there was neither social justice nor political values in BJP rule. He also condemned the government's inaction during attack on media persons at civil court premises in Bangalore.


Mr Bhojegowda said that a large number of Sabhapathi's supports would follow him and they would be inducted into the party in another programme in the presence of JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy.

President of the district unit of JD (S) Deviprasad Shetty on Saturday had announced the induction of Mr Sabhapathi into JD(S).

Mr. Sabhapathi was elected MLA from the Udupi Assembly constituency in 1994 on the Karnataka Congress Party (KCP) ticket. Later the KCP merged with Congress.

Mr. Sabhapathi was re-elected from Udupi Assembly constituency in 1999 as a Congress candidate, but lost against BJP's K Raghupati Bhat in 2004.


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News Network
January 23,2026

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot read only three lines from the 122-paragraph address prepared by the Congress-led state government while addressing the joint session of the Legislature on Thursday, effectively bypassing large sections critical of the BJP-led Union government.

The omitted portions of the customary Governor’s address outlined what the state government described as a “suppressive situation in economic and policy matters” under India’s federal framework. The speech also sharply criticised the Centre’s move to replace the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) with the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, commonly referred to as the VB-GRAM (G) Act.

Governor Gehlot had earlier conveyed his objection to several paragraphs that were explicitly critical of the Union government. On Thursday, he confined himself to the opening lines — “I extend a warm welcome to all of you to the joint session of the State legislature. I am extremely pleased to address this august House” — before jumping directly to the concluding sentence of the final paragraph.

He ended the address by reading the last line of paragraph 122: “Overall, my government is firmly committed to doubling the pace of the State’s economic, social and physical development. Jai Hind — Jai Karnataka.”

According to the prepared speech, the Karnataka government demanded the scrapping of the VB-GRAM (G) Act, describing it as “contractor-centric” and detrimental to rural livelihoods, and called for the full restoration of MGNREGA. The state government argued that the new law undermines decentralisation, weakens labour protections, and centralises decision-making in violation of constitutional norms.

Key points from the unread sections of the speech:

•    Karnataka facing a “suppressive” economic and policy environment within the federal system

•    Repeal of MGNREGA described as a blow to rural livelihoods

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of protecting corporate and contractor interests

•    New law alleged to weaken decentralised governance

•    Decision-making said to be imposed by the Centre without consulting states

•    Rights of Adivasis, women, backward classes and agrarian communities curtailed

•    Labourers allegedly placed under contractor control

•    States facing mounting fiscal stress due to central policies

•    VB-GRAM (G) Act accused of enabling large-scale corruption

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