KJP rejects founder Prasanna claim, expels him from the party

The fledgling Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) on Tuesday witnessed power struggle after its former founder shot off a letter to the Election Commission removing incumbent president BS Yeddyurappa, a development described by KJP as a "conspiracy" by opposition parties.

The fledgling Karnataka Janata Party (KJP) on Tuesday witnessed power struggle after its former founder shot off a letter to the Election Commission removing incumbent president BS Yeddyurappa, a development described by KJP as a "conspiracy" by opposition parties.

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Hours after copies of a communication addressed to the Election Commission by KJP founder president Padmanabha Prasanna, revoking Yeddyurappa's nomination as party president, made its way into the press, the party expelled Prasanna from the primary membership.

"The reported expulsion of Yeddyurappa from KJP is far from truth", KJP general secretary Rajendra Ghokale said in a statement in Bangalore.

Ghokale said Prasanna had, in a letter to EC on January 17, stated that he has resigned as party President on November 9, 2012 and that V Dhananjaya Kumar was elected as the new President.

The executive committee held on December 1, 2012 and December 10, 2012 elected BS Yeddyurappa as the President.

The general body that met on December 11, 2012 confirmed these appointments, he said and relased copies of letters to the press.

The EC in a letter to Prasanna on January 15 had rejected his claim for continuing as "main founder president" as there was no provision for the post in the KJP constitution.

However, Prasanna had in a letter to EC on Jan 3 stated that the party's emergency executive committee, which met on December 20, 2012, decided to revoke the decision to nominate Yeddyurappa as state unit presdient and he would retain the post.