Honest people are untouchable for JDS, Congress, BJP: Mukhyamantri Chandru

BENGALURU: Actor-turned-politician and former MLC Mukhyamantri Chandru joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here on Tuesday. 70-year-old Honnasandra Narasimhaiah Chandrashekar, who was not nominated for the MLC polls from Congress, had resigned from primary membership of the Grand Old Party on May 28.

“Honest politicians have become untouchable to BJP, Congress and JDS, which have cheated the people of Karnataka. They are planning to come to power and continue to cheat the people,” he said.

He cited Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s work in education and health sectors as the reason for him to join AAP. “The party is streamlining politics and I welcome honest and concerned people from other parties to join AAP,” he said.

AAP state convener Prithvi Reddy said Chandru’s joining will strengthen the party as he has worked for language and water causes.“He has dedicated his life to Kannada and has agreed to propagate AAP’s achievements all over the state. His experience will help people understand clean, transparent and honest ideologies of the party,’’ he said.

Chandru entered the Assembly after winning from the Gauribidanur constituency as a Janata Party candidate. He was nominated as an MLC for two consecutive terms of 1998-2004 and 2004-2010 by BJP. He joined Congress when Siddaramaiah was the chief minister and continued to be the Kananda Development Authority chairman.

Sources said he is unlikely to contest the 2023 Assembly polls, but his son Sharath, an entrepreneur, is likely to take a political plunge.