Even as efforts are on by lehar Singh, a close aide of former Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, to bring Yeddyurappa back to BJP’s fold in Delhi, lingayat strongman on Thursday said his party, KJP, will not merge with the BJP but would support Narendra Modi and the NDA.
Yeddyurappa, who frequently hinted at coming back to the BJP in the changing political scenario in Karnataka, surprised many by saying his party will not merge with the BJP or any other party.
Addressing the media after KJP’s State-level working committee meeting in Bangalore, Yeddyurappa said that he was not going to contest the lok Sabha polls.
“We have unanimously decided that we will not be merging with the BJP or any party, but will support the NDA. We also resolved that the KJP is going to maintain its identity and not merge with any other party, including the BJP.”
“We are strong in about ten lok Sabha constituencies. I am working towards strengthening my party in Karnataka,” Yeddyurappa said.
A close aide of Yeddyurappa, however, told The Pioneer that it was only a question of time before BSY joined the BJP. “Yeddyurappa wants to get back to the BJP. As there is some resistance from three of his MlAs, he has taken this posture. I think it may be also some kind of a bargain to re-join the BJP.”
Meanwhile, the State BJP in has for the first time said it will welcome the lingayat strongman back to the party.
Addressing a joint Press conference in Bangalore, former Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda and former deputy Chief Minister R Ashoka said the party had no objection for the return of Yeddyurappa.
R Ashoka, who has been identified with senior BJP leader Ananth Kumar’s faction, said, “We have no objection to Yeddyurappa’s return to the BJP. Nobody, including Ananth Kumar and Eshwarappa, have any problem with him.”
DV Sadananda Gowda — who had taken a BJP delegation, considered to be closed to Yeddyurappa, to Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi — has been urging the party leadership to bring Yeddyurappa back to the party to fight the Congress in the ensuing general elections.
Meanwhile, a source in the central leadership told The Pioneer that they would be working out a via media for Yeddyurpapa to come back to the party.