In a short in the arm for the Bharatiya Janata Party's Karnataka unit, former minister and senior Janata Dal � Secular leader G T Devegowda joined the saffron party on Thursday.

Gowda, who opposed the leadership of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and his son, former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, was the first to walkout from the JD-S along with his supporters.

Senior leader Yashwant Sinha, in-charge of party affairs in Karnataka, welcomed Gowda, who hails from the dominant Vokkaliga community, into the party.

Speaking on the occasion, Sinha hailed Gowda's induction, saying, "It will be a harbinger to the formation of government by B S Yeddyurappa in Karnataka."

Maruthi Rao Pawar, another JD-S leader, also joined the BJP on the occasion.

For Pawar, it was his re-entry into the party, as he quit the saffron party in 1999 on being denied a ticket and joined the JD-S.