Bengaluru: Ahead of the Karnataka Assembly elections, Janata Dal (Secular) MLA Mallikarjun Khuba on Saturday quit the party and said that he would soon be joining the BJP.

Khuba is an MLA from Basavakalyana Assembly constituency (Bidar).

Mallikarjun Khuba,JDS MLA from Basavakalyan resigns from the party, says will join BJP #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/lspEF53WuG — ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2018

Earlier on March 25, 2018, in a blow to JD(S) headed by former PM HD Deve Gowda, seven party rebel former MLAs had joined the ruling Congress.

The rebel MLAs had resigned from Karnataka Legislative Assembly March 24, a day after they had cross-voted in favour of the Congress candidates in the March 23 Rajya Sabha biennial election in the state.

Zameer Ahmed Khan, Chaluvaraya Swamy, Iqbal Ansari, Balakrishna, Ramesh Bandisiddegowda, Bheema Nayak and Akhanda Srinivas Murthy had been welcomed into the party fold by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi at a public rally in the poll-bound Karnataka. Along with them, former JDS MLCs MC Nanaiah, Sarovar Srinivas and B Ramakrishna had also joined the Congress.

Seven rebel Janata Dal (Secular) MLAs join Congress in a public rally of Congress President Rahul Gandhi in Mysuru earlier today; #Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was also present pic.twitter.com/1QWzsjrqVz — ANI (@ANI) March 25, 2018

The votes cast by seven JDS rebel MLAs in the Rajya Sabha biennial election and also support of independents had helped the Congress win the third seat as a bonus, though it had the strength only to bag two seats for sure.

The elections to the 224-Karnataka Assembly will be held on May 12, while the counting of votes will take place on May 15.

(With Agency inputs)