It’s official now that Yeddyurappa-led Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) has merged with the BJP. Karnataka Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Thursday announced that former Chief Minister and senior BJP leader from north Karnataka Jagadish Shettar was recognised as leader of the Opposition in the House after the merger of the KJP with the BJP.
This recognition with the merger has now made HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) to lose his position as the leader of the Opposition. Thimappa’s announcement came a day after the Speaker had recognised the merger of the Karnataka Janata Paksha with four MlAs into the BJP with 40 members, boosting its tally to 44 in the 224-member Assembly. HD Kumaraswamy of the JD(S) who has 40 MlAs with higher vote-share more than the BJP was earlier recognised as major Opposition.
Four MlAs — Yeddyurappa, UB Banakar, Gurupadappa Nagmarpalli and Vishwanath Patil — followed in Yeddyurappa’s footsteps. However, two other KJP MlAs BR Patil and Guru Patil refused to follow suit, despite having good relations with the lingayat strongman. With the merger ahead of 2014 general elections, the BJP is hoping to regain its lost position in Karnataka. Yeddyurappa who had parted over a year ago from the umbilical of the BJP has repented and came back owing to revive the fortunes of the saffron party in the south.