Bangalore, Jan 2, 2014, DHNS : The announcement of KJP president B S Yeddyurappa’s homecoming a little over a year after he quit the BJP is only the beginning and the next few days are likely to witness BJP leaders discussing the nitty gritty of the merger with the former chief minister.
As many as 15 BJP MLAs had quit with Yeddyurappa to join his KJP in November 2012. It will be interesting to see how BJP will accommodate several of these leaders, including C M Udasi, Shobha Karandlaje and M P Renukacharya, in the party fold. The position for Yeddyurappa will also have to be finalised. Sources said he is likely to be made campaign committee chairperson ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The BJP will also have the challenge of countering the political onslaught by the Congress and the JD(S) on taking back Yeddyurappa (who faces corruption charges).
Ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Yeddyurappa’s political assessment matches with that of the BJP.
Fighting the 2014 Lok Sabha elections as separate
entities would only result in splitting the BJP votes – as it was evident in the Assembly polls last year – and help Congress win more seats.
H N Ananth Kumar, who was at loggerheads with Yeddyurappa for many years, told reporters that the merger of KJP with BJP will help in consolidation of votes, thus preventing split in anti-Congress votes.
“In 2009, we won 19 seats and this time we are hoping to win more seats,” Kumar said.
Yeddyurappa said, “I am back to BJP to support the candidature of Narendra Modi for the prime minister’s post. I have not put forth any condition for my return and will work as a BJP worker.”
