In a significant political development in Karnataka former Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) chief BS Yeddyurappa has announced the merger of his party KJP with BJP. Yeddyurappa said he was merging his party to strengthen BJP and to make Narendra Modi Prime Minister.
In a late evening development on Thursday, a team of BJP leaders which include State party chief Prahlad Joshi, BJP national general secretary HN Anantha Kumar, former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, former deputy Chief Minister KS Eshwarappa and others met 72-year-old lingayat leader at a five star hotel to formally invite him to come back to BJP. After the customary photo opportunity along with Anantha Kumar and others, Yeddyurappa announced his return to saffron party and the merger of his one year old party KJP.
Yeddyurappa who decimated the BJP by taking 10 per cent of the votes in the last Assembly elections helping the strong emergence of Congress has made it clear that he was coming back to fulfill the dream of making Narendra Modi Prime Minister of this country.
He said, “ I am officially as president of KJP merging KJP with BJP. It may take few days to complete the formalities. I want to strengthen the hands of Narendra Modi and make him Prime Minister. I will tour the State to strengthen the party. I appeal to all my supporters to work for BJP to help Modi to make him Prime Minister. I am confident that BJP will win more lok Sabha seats this time. We have to forget the past and go ahead to built the BJP.”
BJP National general Secretary and known baiter of Yeddyurappa was part of the discussion and welcomed Yeddyurappa by saying BJP has now got extra strength to face the elections. He said “ I think today is the historic day in Karnataka politics. I welcome Yeddyurappa and all KJP leaders to BJP. Our strength has increased10 times now to take on the Congress and to face the elections. Yeddyurappa who built the BJP in Karnataka is our leader and now would unitedly face the elections. We have informed the BJP national president Rajnath Singh about this and who welcomed this decision.”
After the BJP’s working committee meeting a team of leaders led by party Chief Prahlad Joshi met Yeddyurappa and officially invited him to join the party. After the meeting Joshi said” We have come here to officially invite him to join the BJP. He is our leader who built the BJP in Karnataka. It is home coming. The merger of KJP will be done in a few days time. We are going to fight the Congress together. Our leader will tour the entire State to instill confidence in our workers.”
The merger moves had gathered steam in recent weeks, with Yeddyurappa giving clear indications that it was only a matter of time before his return to BJP whose State leaders also got the green signal from the party top brass.
KJP had garnered six seats and 10 per cent vote share in the May 8 Assembly polls playing spoiler to the then ruling BJP, which lost its first ever Government in the South. KJP had failed to make a big impact as an independent force.
Yeddyurappa’s return to the fold ahead of the national election, due by May, was speculated ever since Narendra Modi was named the BJP’s presumptive PM in September last year.
Yeddyurappa a known Modi loyalist, had declared that he should be the prime ministerial candidate over party veteran lK Advani, who led a section in the BJP that insisted Yeddyurappa resign as Chief Minister over charges of corruption. The case against him is still pending.
A powerful leader from the influential lingayat community, Yeddyurappa won the BJP its first Government in south India six years ago. But he quit his party of 40 years after he was forced to step down as Chief Minister in the middle of his term over a slew of corruption charges in mining deals.
Meanwhile Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday had said the return of BS Yeddyurappa to BJP would not have any impact in the 2014 lok Sabha polls in the state but would only sully the image of the saffron party further.
He had said “The joining of Yeddyurappa in BJP will not make any impact in Karnataka. On the other hand, the BJP’s image will be further damaged.” “Yeddyurappa’s return would only benefit Congress, Siddaramaiah added.“The BJP was saying it had removed Yeddyurappa after he was imprisoned, but now is inviting him. So what will happen to the party,” he said.
A close aide of Yeddyurappa told The Pioneer that Yeddyurappa will be made chairman of the election committee to lead the party in the ensuing elections. He also confirmed Yeddyurappa has plans to contest from Shimoga his home town for the lokSabha. With the merger BJP will attain the status of main opposition party in the Karnataka Assembly