Ahead of Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi’s maha rally in Bangalore, the former Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Party chief BS Yeddyurappa on Tuesday ruled out joining the BJP or merging his party.
He also blamed senior BJP leader and his bête noire HN Anantha Kumar for the delay in BJP taking a call on his re-entry to the party.
Speaking exclusively to a selected group of journalists in Bangalore on Tuesday, lingayat strongman said Anantha Kumar had scuttled his entry into the BJP. He also said that he had not received any communication from NDA chairman lK Advani for his request to join the NDA. However, he ruled out joining the BJP, but would align with the saffron party for the ensuing lok Sabha elections to support and strengthen Modi.
He said, “I don’t know what he (Anantha Kumar) gets from this meddling but he has been instrumental in scuttling my entry to the BJP. The BJP has not taken any decision on my entry yet. As of now, I am not joining that party. No talks on a possible merger also. I just want to keep the KJP as an entity and will look at the Third Front as an option. But I am open to having an alliance and seat adjustment with the BJP to strengthen Modi.”
Yeddyurappa, who had been protesting for a week against the Congress Government’s appeasement politics of minorities led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, indicated that he would contest for lS polls. But due to his bitter relationship with BJP’s patriarch lK Advani, he may not be admitted to lead the elections, as corruption is still an issue for the BJP in the lS polls.
In the changing political scenario of Karnataka, the Congress which came to power decimating the BJP, Yeddyurappa is now isolated and desperate to identify with some political configuration to keep his identity intact. However, Yeddyurappa now found an issue against Siddaramaiah, CM’s scheme to announce a scheme exclusively for Muslim women called “Shaadi Bhagya” as a part of Congress’ appeasement of minorities. Yeddyurappa has been demanding extension of the same scheme to all other communities.
A close aide of KJP leader confided that Yeddyurappa was little desperate and might join Third Front to keep his identity intact. He said, “We did not receive any response from the NDA chairman and we are looking at other options to keep out identity intact.”
A senior BJP leader who is trying hard to get Yeddyurappa back to the BJP said the party was not in a hurry to take a decision. He said, “As far as I know the party is playing the waiting game before taking any decision on Yeddyurappa. As caste is a reality, many feel Yeddyurappa will prove positive for the BJP in the ensuing elections.”
However, Yeddyurappa also declared unconditional support to Narendra Modi and indicated that he was not averse to contest lS polls. Yeddyurappa who is from the RSS stable had built the saffron party in Karnataka and brought it to power.