The day after announcement of the KJP’s merger with the BJP, lingayat leader BS Yeddyurappa along with three MlAs have submitted official letters to the Karnataka Assembly Speaker asking him to recognise them as members of the BJP. Yeddyurappa along with the KJP MlAs met Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa on Friday and handed over letter of merger of the KJP with the BJP.
Yeddyurappa told the media that he has handed over the letter of merger to the Speaker with four MlAs (including Yeddyurappa) for recognising them as BJP legislators. He said, “I have handed over the letter of willingness of four party legislators to recognise us as BJP legislators to the Speaker today as we have officially merged. The letters of two more legislators will be given on January 6. There is no opposition in the merger.”
“I have joined the BJP to strengthen the hands of Narendra Modi to make him the Prime Minister. I seek the pardon of the people for having gone out of the BJP. I have forgotten all the past and joined the BJP without any condition,” Yeddyurappa added. Speaking to the media Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa said he had received letters from four KJP legislators including Yeddyurappa seeking recognition with the BJP. However, he said he wants an official letter from the BJP regarding this. He said, “I will go according to law. I can take a decision on the request by the KJP only after getting letter from the BJP.”
Yeddyurappa was accompanied by former Ministers CM Udasi, Shobha Karandlaje, CT Ravi and others. Meanwhile, with the return of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa to the BJP, the Janata Dal (Secular) will lose its status as principal Opposition party in the Karnataka Assembly. In the 2013 Assembly polls, the BJP and the JD(S) had won 40 seats each. However, the JD(S) had become the principal Opposition party by securing a higher percentage of votes than the BJP. Once the merger comes through, the BJP’s tally goes up to 46 seats, six more than the JD(S).
leader of the Opposition in the legislative Assembly HD Kumaraswamy said he was not bothered about losing the post. The JD(S) leader will have to return his official car and personal assistant as soon as the Speaker makes a formal announcement about the new Opposition party.