Bengaluru (PTI): Former Lok Sabha member from Mandya, L R Shivarame Gowda, on Wednesday joined the ruling BJP in poll-bound Karnataka. Gowda, who was expelled by the Janata Dal (Secular) last year, was welcomed into the party fold by BJP State unit President Nalin Kumar Kateel, BJP National General Secretary C T Ravi and Karnataka Ministers K Sudhakar and K Gopalaiah, among others. He had also served an MLA and was also earlier with the Congress.