<p>All political parties are gearing up for the Assembly polls that are fast approaching. They are busy holding rallies, padayatras and strategy sessions in a bid to woo voters.<br /><br /></p>.<p> But there appears to be an exception: The Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) led by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is in no hurry. Or, at least, it appears so.<br /><br />Reason: Yeddyurappa, who floated his regional outfit in December, is eagerly waiting for his so-called loyalists in the BJP to join his party. <br /><br />Yeddyurappa is hoping against hope that his loyalists in the Jagadish Shettar Cabinet will give up their positions and strengthen his hands in building the new party. <br />But so far, a majority of them have not dropped any hint of joining the KJP, let alone quit the Cabinet. <br /><br />Ditto with MLAs close to him. The term of the Jagadish Shettar government ends on <br />May 30. <br /><br />Not much action<br /><br />Except for the recent State office-bearers’ meeting, there is not much political activity in the KJP. Yeddyurappa has been touring the State all alone ever since the launch of the party on December 9 at Haveri.<br /><br />Dwindling<br /><br />At the same time, the KJP leader’s strength has been dwindling gradually - from 60 MLAs (including ministers) a couple of months ago to 21. <br /><br />His one-time supporters are distancing themselves from him. Sunil Valyapure is the only MLA who quit his ministerial position to join Yeddyurappa’s party. <br /><br />To stay put with BJP<br /><br />V Somanna has already declared that he will remain in the BJP, while Raju Gouda has said he will not join the KJP. <br /><br />However, Shobha Karandlaje is likely to join her mentor shortly.<br />The ministers are holding their cards close to their chests. <br /><br />That they are all keeping their options open is evident as they have already defied the deadline set by Yeddyurappa to bring down the government twice – on January 4 and 14. <br /><br />The KJP leader has become so meek that he has refused to fix any more deadlines. <br />A meeting of the KJP will be held on January 23 which, according to sources in the KJP, will bring curtains down on the Shettar government.<br /><br /> A section of the MLAs including B P Harish, Karandlaje, Valyapure, Suresh Gowda Patil, Nehru Olekar and Basavaraj Patil Attur will resign in the first phase.</p>
<p>All political parties are gearing up for the Assembly polls that are fast approaching. They are busy holding rallies, padayatras and strategy sessions in a bid to woo voters.<br /><br /></p>.<p> But there appears to be an exception: The Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) led by former chief minister B S Yeddyurappa is in no hurry. Or, at least, it appears so.<br /><br />Reason: Yeddyurappa, who floated his regional outfit in December, is eagerly waiting for his so-called loyalists in the BJP to join his party. <br /><br />Yeddyurappa is hoping against hope that his loyalists in the Jagadish Shettar Cabinet will give up their positions and strengthen his hands in building the new party. <br />But so far, a majority of them have not dropped any hint of joining the KJP, let alone quit the Cabinet. <br /><br />Ditto with MLAs close to him. The term of the Jagadish Shettar government ends on <br />May 30. <br /><br />Not much action<br /><br />Except for the recent State office-bearers’ meeting, there is not much political activity in the KJP. Yeddyurappa has been touring the State all alone ever since the launch of the party on December 9 at Haveri.<br /><br />Dwindling<br /><br />At the same time, the KJP leader’s strength has been dwindling gradually - from 60 MLAs (including ministers) a couple of months ago to 21. <br /><br />His one-time supporters are distancing themselves from him. Sunil Valyapure is the only MLA who quit his ministerial position to join Yeddyurappa’s party. <br /><br />To stay put with BJP<br /><br />V Somanna has already declared that he will remain in the BJP, while Raju Gouda has said he will not join the KJP. <br /><br />However, Shobha Karandlaje is likely to join her mentor shortly.<br />The ministers are holding their cards close to their chests. <br /><br />That they are all keeping their options open is evident as they have already defied the deadline set by Yeddyurappa to bring down the government twice – on January 4 and 14. <br /><br />The KJP leader has become so meek that he has refused to fix any more deadlines. <br />A meeting of the KJP will be held on January 23 which, according to sources in the KJP, will bring curtains down on the Shettar government.<br /><br /> A section of the MLAs including B P Harish, Karandlaje, Valyapure, Suresh Gowda Patil, Nehru Olekar and Basavaraj Patil Attur will resign in the first phase.</p>
