Bengaluru, Jan 15 (PTI): Former State Minister Anand Asnotikar today quit BJP and joined the Janata Dal Secular, ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Karnataka.

Asnotikar along with his followers joined the JD(S) in the presence of party supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, and state President H D Kumaraswamy here.

Asnotikar said he was joining JD(S), a regional party for the welfare of the border region he represents.

"After certain painful incidents that my family and I had to face in the district, my supporters and well-wishers advised me to start afresh with a regional party," he said.

Only a regional party can bring development to border areas like Karwar and Ankola, he said.

Welcoming Asnotikar, Gowda said his joining shows how the JD(S) is growing stronger day by day.

Asnotikar, who was elected on Congress ticket in 2008 from Karwar, had resigned from the party and the assembly to switch loyalty to the then ruling BJP, following which he was made Minister for Fisheries, Science and Technology. B S Yeddyurappa was the Chief Minister then.

Asnotikar, who won the subsequent bypoll from Karwar on BJP ticket, lost during the 2013 assembly polls.