The day after he decimated the BJP in the Karnataka Assembly polls, former Chief Minister and Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) leader BS Yeddyurappa strongly denied that there was any move to join the BJP.
Addressing a Press conference in Bangalore on Thursday, lingayat strongman said he was satisfied with the performance of his party in the Assembly polls. Yeddyurappa also claimed he got 10 per cent vote share in the elections which made the BJP to lose miserably.
Yeddyurappa said split votes of the KJP have helped the Congress to win 121 seats in the elections. He said as many as 23 seats which the Congress has won was because of the split votes.
He said that within six months of its launching, the party has become eligible for recognition by the Election Commission winning 10 per cent of the votes polled.
Yeddyurappa said, “The BJP might have won 40 seats but the percentage of vote is only 20 per cent and compared to this it is really a good achievement of my party. I got people’s support beyond my expectations.”
Claiming that he was responsible for the BJP coming to power in the 2008 polls, Yeddyurappa said, “Just as I helped the BJP get 110 seats in 2008 elections, I will work to build the KJP. It is a challenge but I will accept it and will build the party by touring the State and win people’s confidence.”
“Now, I will concentrate on strengthening the party and prepare for the next elections to the lok Sabha,” he said. To a question on the debacle of the BJP, Yeddyurappa said, “I will not comment on this. It is for them (party) to introspect.”
For a question on rejoining the BJP he denied firmly and said, “No, that question does not arise. I told you long back I have just started to build my own party, I will not go back to the BJP.”
Yeddyurappa who has no kingmaker role to play in the immediate future in Karnataka politics came down on the Congress on the issue of corruption.
He said, “I am more satisfied with the result because I got the 10 per cent votes and recognition from the Election Commission also. I contested for 109 seats in the Assembly elections, I won six constituencies and stood second in 29 Assembly constituencies. I am happy about that.”
An analysis of the polling pattern indicates that the KJP was in second place in 29 constituencies and lost by a very narrow margin. In fact, in almost 30 places if one puts together the vote share of the BJP and KJP would hypothetically won those seats. Political observers feel Yeddyurappa factor caused the debacle for the saffron party in Karnataka.
However, Yeddyurappa refused to comment on his role in the BJP’s debacle. “I have not damaged any party. I have tried my level best to strengthen my party. And other things are left to the concerned party’s leadership to comment. I don’t want to comment on it,” he added, when asked whether his party was responsible for the BJP’s defeat in Karnataka.
He, however, compared the performance of the Karnataka Janata Party which was only four months old and was not in office to the BJP which was ruling in the State for four years and could manage only 40 seats.
At his Press conference, one could feel a kind of jubilation in his looks but he very humbly refused to say more about the defeat of the BJP. Yeddyurappa was clear about his intention and looking ahead to keep his identity intact in the days to come.
The Congress made a spectacular comeback in Karnataka wresting power after seven years in its old southern fortress. The party won 121 seats in the 224-member Assembly. The BJP and the Janata Dal(Secular) were in neck-and-neck race with both winning 40 seats each. Yeddyurappa’s KJP won six seats, while the Independents and others won 16 seats. Elections in Karnataka were conducted for 223 seats. Elections in one constituency — Periyapatna — were deferred to May 28 due to the death of a BJP candidate.
Ahead of the Congress observers visit to Bangalore to oversee smooth selection of a candidate for the Chief Minister post, Siddaramaiah one of the strong contenders for the post, claimed the support of all the 120 newly elected Congress MlAs. AICC is sending a team to Bangalore on Friday comprising AK Antony, Madhusudan Mistri, luzinho Faleiro and Union Minister Jitender Singh.
Apart from Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjun Kharge and Veerappa Moily, former KPCC president RV Deshapande, former KPCC working president DK Shivakumar, TB Jayachandra, who was the Deputy floor leader of the Congress in the outgoing Assembly and senior lingayat leader Shyamanur Shivashankarappa have also thrown their hats into the ring. When asked, these leaders are parroting a line saying, “The High Command will take the final call.”