“The party’s doors are shut to the disqualified MLAs,” he said while speaking with reports here on Thursday. The disqualified MLAs have damaged the party and there is no point in bringing them back, Yeddyurappa said. People of the state will “curse” the BJP if the party reinducts the rebels, he said.
Echoing similar views, Home Minister R Ashoka said the disqualified MLAs had held the party for ransom and embarrassed the party government. The party has no intention of letting them in, he said. When his attention was drawn to the dissidents’ trips to Delhi to meet the party’s central leaders, the Minister said “the BJP in the State and Delhi are same”. The rebels were “free to run from one end to the another if they want to try their luck”, Ashoka said.
The Home Minister said he was aware that the dissidents are in touch with the Bellary Reddy brothers. “But one thing for sure, there is no room for them in the party,” he declared.
Party spokesperson C T Ravi said the issue of disqualified MLAs was a “closed chapter”.
“Dead bodies are not brought back from the graveyard. Similar is the case of these disqualified MLAs”, he said.
Ravi said if the rebels had “realised their mistake,” they should apologise to people of their constituencies. If they want to remain as party workers, they can work for the BJP candidates in the next general elections and ensure their victory.
On Wednesday, the Reddys’ office had announced that some of the disqualified MLAs would be returning to the party after expressing their regret for their ‘deeds’. But that did not happen as Yeddyurappa has taken a stand not to entertain them as their return at this juncture would in no way push up the numerical strength of it in the Assembly.
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