In a blow to the JD(S) headed by former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, seven rebel former party MLAs joined the ruling Congress on Sunday, 25 March, in the presence of party president Rahul Gandhi.
The rebel MLAs had resigned from Karnataka legislative Assembly on Saturday, a day after they cross-voted in favour of Congress candidates in the 23 March Rajya Sabha biennial election in the state.
Zameer Ahmed Khan, Chaluvaraya Swamy, Iqbal Ansari, Balakrishna, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, Bheema Nayak and Akhanda Srinivas Murthy were welcomed into the party fold by Gandhi at a public rally in Mysuru in poll-bound Karnataka.