JOIN USBJP-KJP merger likely in Jan
The BJP appears to have moved ahead on admitting B S Yeddyurappa back into its fold, with a formal announcement likely to be made in the first week of January.
Sources in the BJP said a team of its top leaders is scheduled to meet Yeddyurappa on January 2 to extend him a formal invitation to join the saffron party.
The formal induction is likely to place after January 15. It would be left to the discretion of Yeddyurappa to hold a rally to mark the merger of his Karnataka Janata Party with the BJP.
BJP National President Rajnath Singh is learnt to have asked former deputy chief minister R Ashoka to work out the modalities of merger in consultation with Yeddyurappa. Singh was in Bangalore on Friday to take part in the BJP state executive committee meeting.
“Each and every process is under way. Once we take a decision, we will inform you,” Singh told reporters.
BJP leaders Basavaraj Bommai and Aravind Limbavali met Yeddyurappa for informal talks.
At the executive committee meeting, the subject of Yeddyurappa’s homecoming was broached by none other than his bete noire, Ananth Kumar.
“Some of our brothers left us before the Assembly polls. It resulted in a setback for us in the polls... I can assure you that in the New Year we will fight the Lok Sabha polls on an united forum,” Ananth Kumar said from the dais, all the while without naming Yeddyurappa.
However, Singh took the name of Yeddyurappa, stating that he had suggested the former chief minister in 2006 to extend loans to farmers at low rate of interest.
“Yeddyurappa, who was then deputy chief minister and finance minister, implemented the suggestion in the very next budget he presented,” Singh recalled.
Core committee meeting
The KJP core committee which met in Bangalore on Friday, authorised Yeddyurappa to take a final decision on the merger.
Speaking to reporters, Yeddyurappa said he was in touch with the BJP leaders and would take a decision on merging his party with the BJP, soon.
Later in the day, the state executive, attended by around 900 members passed two resolutions - that the Siddaramaiah government had failed on all fronts especially in protecting the interests of farmers and that the BJP state unit would strive to bring the National Democratic Alliance back to power at the Centre.
BJP State spokesperson Suresh Kumar said the party would organise an agitation in front of Town Hall, Bangalore, on January 3 to protest against the deteriorating law and order in Karnataka.