Former working president of the Janata Dal (Secular)’s women’s wing, Najma Nazeer Chikkanerale, joined the Congress party on Friday, March 29 expressing discontent over JD(S)'s alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Najma joined Congress in the presence of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Najma, a prominent figure in JD(S) ranks, had been a vocal campaigner for the party during the previous assembly elections. However, she largely remained silent after the JD(S) struck an alliance with the BJP for the Lok Sabha elections.

Her journey within the JD(S) began at a young age. She joined the party as a worker at the age of 22 years and became the state-level media spokesperson a year after. Her dedication rallied women across Karnataka to support the party. She was just 25 when she was appointed as the working president of the party's women's wing, and shared the stage with former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. 

Najma's rise in the political arena was not without its challenges. Hailing from a family devoid of political connections, her father, a tobacco farmer, initially aspired for her to pursue a career in medicine. When the Union government attempted to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) nationwide, Najma furiously campaigned against it all over Karnataka. She may be the only woman activist who has addressed audiences in each district of the state.

Throughout her tenure with the JD(S), Najma earned the trust and respect of party stalwarts like former CM Kumaraswamy and former PM HD Deve Gowda. Her adept campaign strategies, notably during the 2020 Sira bye-poll for candidate Ammajamma, earned accolades and comparisons to being Ammajamma's own daughter. She also played a pivotal role in securing election victories for JD(S) women MLAs Sharada Pooryanaik and Karemma in 2023. 

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