The Hindu : I am committed to secularism: Jigajinagi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 21, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Belgaum

I am committed to secularism: Jigajinagi

By Our Staff Correspondent

BELGAUM, JAN. 20. Ramesh Jigajinagi, who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) soon after the death of former Chief Minister, Ramakrishna Hegde, said he would remain committed to secular principles. He told presspersons that his shifting of loyalty from the Janata Dal would not affect his commitment to secularism and he hoped that Dalits would get justice in the BJP.

Replying to questions, he denied having joined the BJP on the condition that he should be given ticket for the Lok Sabha elections. He had been thinking of leaving the Janata Parivar for the past two months, but kept hoping that the Janata Dal factions would unite at least before the elections. He had even visited Hegde in London where he was undergoing treatment some time ago.

A week before Hegde's death, he met the All-India Progressive Janata Dal (AIPJD) President, S.R. Bommai, and the President of the State unit of the Janata Dal (S), Siddaramaiah, as he wanted to know the possibilities of the two factions coming together. But Mr. Siddaramaiah was not hopeful in that regard. Thus, he met Mr.Hegde and his wife, Shakuntala Hegde, and conveyed his decision of leaving the party.

Subsequently, he consulted his supporters who advised him to join any party other than the Congress. To a question, he said he had been associated with Mr. Hegde since 1978-79 and had never thought of leaving him. However, when reminded that he had joined Ram Vilas Paswan's party and returned to Janata Dal after three months, he described it as an aberration.

He attributed his joining the BJP to the good work done by the Vajpayee Government at the Centre.

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